Cold blooded Assassin
by Winged Guardian
Summary: An accident occured. Few survived. Lost, emotionless and alone, Sakura became a trained & merciless assassin. Disguised as a boy, Sakura was sent on a mission to kill Syaoran Li, a sucessful businessman, by a rivalling company. Would she be discovered?
1. Prologue

Disclaimers: Winged Guardian: Card Captor Sakura does not belong to me and never   
will. *sighs wistfully*  
  
Winged Guardian: This far from completed fic was posted ages ago (okay, maybe not _that_   
long, but I think it has been more than six months at least) under a different penname and   
different email address - _Illusion Dreamer_ = mystic_secrets@hotmail.com = However,   
I haven't been using that account for a very long time and it's very probable that Hotmail has   
already closed it, so when I updated, I decided to post it under this account instead.   
  
Note:  
  
"..." stands for speech  
  
[...] stands for thoughts  
  
stands for author's comments  
  
'...' stands for the chapter's title  
  
  
  
**Cold-blooded Assassin**  
  
By Winged Guardian  
  
  
'Prologue of Story'  
  
  
Everything in Sakura's life was falling apart. Her loved ones had died in a car crash   
and the few who survived were dying. Touya, Sakura's big brother, was unconscious, in a   
coma that he might never wake up from. Tomoyo, Sakura's cousin,'s health was   
deteriorating day by day – having lost the will to live. Tomoyo had sunk into a state of   
depression as her boyfriend was one of those who perished in the car crash. Sakura's   
father was not one of the survivors. And neither was Yukito Tsukishiro, Sakura's fiancé.   
  
Her hopes and dreams all shattered the one fateful night the accident took place, along   
with her heart.  
  
Sakura was now suddenly terribly alone in the harsh and cruel world. She had to learn   
independence and was now burdened with the great responsibility of earning her living   
and taking care of the expensive medical fees. She was only given one path to walk, one   
road she could choose, with the slim chance of her brother and cousin to carry on living.   
She had to become an assassin.  
  
Driven by her love of her family members, Sakura worked relentlessly, eliminating the   
targets whom were chosen by the people who hired her. She became a professional, the   
best in her dangerous career.  
  
Overtime, Sakura's heart hardened into ice. She murdered countless numbers of famed   
people and accepted all missions. She killed mercifully and cleanly, not seeing the need   
to put them through pain and making them suffer a slow and torturous death. Sakura built   
up an impenetrable wall around her, preventing people from going near her heart,   
avoiding a repeat of the painful experience of losing a loved one once again, feeling the   
agony of the knowledge that she would never see them, their smiles, their teasing......  
  
In truth, Sakura was a frightened and lonely girl who wished to be loved, but of course,   
being the stubborn girl that she was, she would never admit it to herself. Instead, she kept   
to herself, never letting anyone get near to her heart. Sakura kept up a front, her face   
usually an emotionless blank, her green eyes, which used to be emeralds of sparkling   
happiness, were now iced over, impassive. She assumed a cold air, never letting people   
see her for who she really is.   
  
Fear to love...a life without these emotions which people held close to their hearts...what   
gave people meaning to their lives...Hope no longer existed for Sakura Kinomoto.   
  
The only way for her to recover, for her emotional wounds to heal........was to find love   
again...  
  
But, Sakura would not let herself open up to others. She hurt too much.  
  
Then, one day, she was sent on a mission.....................to assassinate Li Syaoran, the   
successful and wealthy young businessman, the owner of the most prosperous company   
in the whole of Japan AND China.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
======================================================================================  
  
Winged Guardian: Hmm...I have nothing to say but......... **REVIEW!!!!** *grins*   
  
Hope you enjoyed reading my fanfic!!!  
  
  
  
~ Winged Guardian ~  
_Heart_given_Wings@hotmail.com_  
  
  
  



	2. Chapter One : 'Another Assignment'

Disclaimers: Winged Guardian: I do not have the right to claim Card Captor Sakura, the  
brilliant work of Clamp, as my own. This fanfic, however, is written   
by yours truly. Enjoy!  
  
Note:  
  
"..." stands for speech  
  
[...] stands for thoughts  
  
stands for author's comments  
  
'...' stands for the chapter's title  
  
  
  
**Cold-blooded Assassin**  
  
By Winged Guardian  
  
  
Chapter One: 'Another Assignment'  
  
  
It was a bleak dreary day. The sky threatened to fall and stormy clouds gathered  
together, blocking out the light of the sun. It was going to pour any minute now.  
  
Perfect. It fitted her mood right now.  
  
"Three. Two. One."  
  
"CRASH!" a peal of thunder sounded in the distance as lightning flashed across the sky,  
illuminating a girl in her early twenties, barely past the age of adolescence for a split-  
second.  
  
However, the girl looked grave and had a forbidding air of seriousness around her and  
she looked as if she took matters as life-and-death. She was tall and willowy, auburn  
locks falling across her face gracefully. Her sea-green eyes, which were once merry and a  
radiant shade of emerald, had lost its glow and were now clouded over, expressionless.  
She had lost the air of childlike innocence which once surrounded her. She knew now,  
that life was not a beautifully-written play from a storybook. More often than not, they  
were not happy endings.  
  
Nevertheless, she was extremely attractive and had a natural beauty which drew people  
to her if she could only drop the cloak of coldness which constantly shrouded her.  
  
The wind howled in her ear. To her, it was the haunting song of despair and a painting  
to portrait her anguished feelings.  
  
She felt like howling with the wind.  
  
Tonight was the night. The anniversary of the car crash.  
  
Yes, it had been a year. A year since all that happened.  
Touya was still trapped in a deep sleep and Tomoyo was showing no signs of discovery.  
  
Sakura strode forwards desolately, her eyes bright with unshed tears.  
  
_No, she would not cry. She would not allow herself to cry._  
  
She continued walking.  
  
She walked with a confident and purposeful stride and one could tell that she was not  
pleased with the thought of getting to her destination.  
  
A booming roar of thunder sounded again and she barely flinched. The lightning which  
streaked across the sky tinted her hair coppery before the blinding light faded.  
  
There was a time when she used to be afraid of the roaring thunder and the dark night  
which held shadows and mysteries but that was no more. She now walked under the   
darkened night of storms without the slightest trace of fear. In fact, she seemed to revel in   
it. Passer-bys would have thought this girl terribly brave or had just simply lost her  
insanity.  
  
Yes, in a way, she did lose her insanity. In ways more than one.  
  
She was close to breaking down and simply giving up. Life held no meaning to her anymore.  
  
But she would not.  
  
Tomoyo and Touya still needed her.  
  
[They have to pull through! They would. They would live!] Sakura thought despairingly.  
  
She walked forward determinedly.  
  
Anyone who dared to mess with her tonight would sorely regret it.  
  
[Lord knows how many muggers and worse are out to get this kind of naive and  
defenseless girls.] thought a passer-by pityingly.  
  
Ha! If only he knew how wrong he was.  
  
This girl was a trained and professional assassin who could kill without batting her long  
dark eyelashes in the blink of an eye, if need be, without the slightest hesitation.  
  
Sakura Kinomoto was more than dangerous. She was deadly.   
By messing with her, you are signing your death-contract and putting your life in peril.  
  
Fortunately, for some ignorant fools, Sakura was not one to anger easily or bear grudges.  
  
  
Rain started to fall. Not surprising.  
  
In a few seconds flat, the slight drizzle turned into an all-out downpour. Still not surprising.  
  
A man blocked her way.  
  
_Hell was going to break loose._  
  
She looked up angrily. The man was dead meat.  
  
Seeing her flaming green eyes alight with a strange fire which raised chills down his   
spine, the unfortunate man took a step back, taken aback by the unchecked fury in her   
eyes.  
  
He swallowed nervously. He could not see what he had done wrong. He had just   
approached her and here she was, glaring at him as if he was her sworn enemy and had   
committed a grave mistake.  
  
What he did not know was that he _did_ indeed commit an unforgivable sin. He had   
approached her on that night.  
  
[Whatever this is. It had better be good or I'll make his job a living hell.] she thought,  
severely annoyed and irritated.  
  
The man seemed to have lost his voice and was looking at her fearfully.  
  
"Well?" Sakura asked impatiently.  
She was in no mood to make polite conversation.  
  
The man gave her the envelope dumbly and once she took it, he had an urge to turn tail  
and run, but his feet seemed to be rooted to the ground.  
  
Sakura raised an eyebrow and he suddenly had his voice back.  
  
"ForAgent0711anassignmenthewillbewell-paid" the panic-stricken man babbled   
incoherently, his voice shaky and squeaky, a notch higher than usual.  
  
Sakura could barely understand what he was talking about, but she got the gist of it.  
  
Sighing mentally, she gave him a curt nod and said abruptly, "Message will be   
delivered within 15 minutes' time."   
  
The man instantly dashed off blindly into the direction he came from.  
  
She shook her head.  
  
Nobody at the agency knew her true identity or how she really looked like. They only  
knew Ying Fa, the message-bearer and woman of Agent 0711.  
  
Or so they thought.  
  
She smirked.  
  
No one dared to touch her that way.  
  
Ying Fa Avalon. The woman of the living legend, 0711. No one dared to lay a finger on  
her.  
  
Little did they know that the quiet Ying Fa was actually 0711 'himself' and she planned   
on leaving it that way.  
  
She knew that one day, she would want to end this career life, either by death or choice,  
and she did not want to be hounded to the ends of the Earth if it was the latter.  
  
She knew the way they worked very well and they would not easily give up a well-  
trained assassin, not to mention the best of them all.  
  
And so, she kept her identity hidden.  
  
Of course, there were always other reasons but she did not want to delve deeper into that  
particular subject.  
  
  
  
*^*^*^*^*  
_At Sakura's Apartment_  
  
  
"Home..." Sakura sighed as she closed the door.  
Home...people say that a person's home reflects one's life...  
And Sakura's home was littered with memories.   
Souvenirs from the past were placed all around.   
The whitewashed walls were decorated with countless photos of her family and friends.  
  
_Sakura's life lingered in the past..._  
  
She loved her family members and all her friends were like family to her and when they   
passed away...a part of Sakura died with them too...  
  
  
Slowly, Sakura walked to one of those photographs and picked it up. Tears sprung to   
her eyes and flowed, unbidden, down her cheeks as she gazed at it, her expression one of   
sorrow and regret. She let her tears flow freely, no longer trying to hold them in.  
  
The photo was taken the day before the accident. All of them had gone for a picnic and   
were in silly poses in the photograph. Tomoyo's perfected photographer skills had   
captured them perfectly - Sakura could see the happiness in their eyes as they played   
around blissfully, unaware of what tragedy the next day had in store for them.  
  
Sakura hugged the photo frame tightly to her, wishing desperately that it was the people   
in it whom she was hugging...but no...the harsh reality of life would not allow her to forget   
their deaths, forget her pain, not even for a second.  
  
Sakura sank to her knees and collapsing, she finally allowed herself the moment of her   
weakness. Closing her eyes, she sobbed in anguish as she clutched the photo frame   
painfully to her chest, tears streaming down her face, like she did the night ages ago when   
she had first heard the news.   
  
Tormented, she wept her heart out, crying herself to sleep.  
  
  
  
  
  
*^*^*^*^*  
_The Next Morning at 8am_  
  
  
Sakura sat coolly in her armchair as her eyes were fixed on the screen of the laptop as   
she downloaded all the information on Li Syaoran that she could find, which was a lot.  
  
A frown of concentration appeared on her face as she sorted through the data. Looking   
through the information, Sakura gathered that this Li Syaoran came from a very well-  
know family in China – the Li Clan. Sakura whistled in surprise, slightly impressed. This   
Li must be very well-versed in martial arts, coming from the strict Li Clan. It was no   
doubt compulsory. [This Li would be a challenge.] Sakura smiled, a reckless look in her   
emerald eyes [That makes things a lot more interesting.]   
  
[I would have to be more careful as not to arouse his suspicions.]   
  
Reading the next bit of information, her eyes widened [This Li is only a few years older   
than me and is the heir of the Li Clan!]  
  
[This shows how deceptive looks can be. After all, aren't I an example as well?] Sakura   
thought, smirking slightly.  
  
If she had confessed outright that she was the best of the trained assassins in the whole   
of Japan, not a single soul would have believed her.  
  
Studying his profile, she found that he was clean, not that she expected any less from the   
next leader of the Li Clan. [Too bad I have to kill him. Such a waste of his talents.]  
  
[It's obvious why Mr. Albania wants him dead. They're rivaling companies and he   
obviously can't stand the heat of the competition.] she thought, smirking.  
  
Turning serious, she thought as a wave of sorrow swept over her [The money would be   
enough to pay for their hospital and my living fees for many months yet. Touya...how I   
wish you would wake up...it's hard to go through life alone, without your constant   
support, even if you keep calling me Kaijuu...I miss you…'Nni-Chan......]  
  
Pushing the pain and memories, which threatened to take over, to the back of her mind,   
Sakura focused on practical things first. [This Li Syaoran seems to dislike and mistrust   
women. He seems to reject women's attention. That certainly is quite strange as many   
men would delight in women fawning over them and would dearly love to be in his place.   
He might lower his guard if he sees me as one of his men but then again, if he sees me as   
a weak and vulnerable woman, he also may lower his guard. So, should I disguise myself   
as a man or a woman???]  
  
Sakura scowled in distaste when she recalled the last time she went as a woman. Her   
target kept trying to get near her, not that it was a bad thing, because it made her job   
easier, but it certainly had been very annoying and got on her nerves.   
  
[I shall go as a man.] she decided firmly.  
She did not want a repeat of those incidents, she thought with a shudder.  
  
Checking her email, she found a message from Mr. Albania:  
  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
_0711,  
I have sent a few assassins before, but the females fell in love with him, unable to   
resist his good looks---_  
  
(at that point of time, Sakura felt like puking [**Unable to resist his good looks**??? **_Mou_**!   
**_Kami-Sama, what kind of lame excuse is that_**!?!?!?!!] Anyway, she continued reading.)  
  
_And the males were in awe of him and feared him. I hope you are capable of completing this assignment. _  
  
( [In other words, he means that he hopes that I will not chicken out.] Sakura thought dryly.)  
  
_I do not doubt you, otherwise I would not have chosen you. It was a friendly warning._  
  
( [You mean that you did not mean to offend me, just in case you accidentally do so. You   
don't want to get on my bad side.] )  
  
_After you complete this mission, I will give you an additional ten thousand instead of the   
sum I mentioned earlier on._  
  
( [Bribery. Like dangling a bone in front of a dog to make it beg.] Sakura thought,   
disgusted with his tactics. )  
  
_Half the payment has been inserted into your account._  
  
( [To convince me that he is serious about this. Though, I must admit that he must have   
been pretty desperate to offer me such a big sum of money. He must have sent much   
more than just a few. That Li guy is something. Mr. Albania must be quite distressed by   
now.] )  
  
_Yours sincerely,  
Albania_  
  
( [Yeah, you're sincere alright.] Sakura thought sarcastically. )  
  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - End of Message - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
  
[ Lord knows, I won't fall for him and neither will he fall in love with me. ]  
  
  
  
Winged Guardian: Don't be too sure about that, Sakura... *evil smile* >  
  
  
Sakura hit on the 'Delete' button and erased all traces of the email from her laptop.  
  
[Sure, no one touches the laptop aside from me but who knows? It's better to be careful.  
After all, having regrets after I get killed would definitely be far too late. Call me   
paranoid for all you want. Like I'll care.]  
  
She sent him a reply:  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
_Consider it done._  
  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
======================================================================================  
  
Winged Guardian: Nothing to say but......  
  
...please review and hope you enjoyed reading my fanfic!!!  
  
  
  
~ Winged Guardian ~  
_Heart_given_Wings@hotmail.com_  
  
  
  



	3. Chapter Two : 'Preparations'

Disclaimers: Winged Guardian: I do not own Card Captor Sakura, and never will.  
  
Note:  
  
"..." stands for speech  
  
[...] stands for thoughts  
  
{...} stands for author's comments  
  
'...' stands for the chapter's title  
  
  
  
**Cold-blooded Assassin**  
  
By Winged Guardian  
  
  
Chapter Two: 'Preparations'  
  
  
Sakura pondered upon how to murder the famous Li Syaoran.  
  
[From all those news articles and interviews, he certainly is a very busy person and I   
really don't feel like tracking him all over Japan.]  
  
[Since he is a celebrity, he would always be surrounded by crowds of devoted female   
fans in public and I only want to kill him and him alone. I wouldn't be able to get close to   
him or fight the mob of fanatical female fans. They're so crazy over him that all of them   
practically throw themselves at him.] Sakura rolls her eyes.   
  
[Good grief! He's just a man, for goodness sake! No matter how handsome or charming   
he is, that's still no excuse to degrade the female population by falling at his feet like   
foolish lovesick girls!]   
  
[Wait a minute, they **_are_** foolish lovesick girls. Bakas, all of them! Shallow people, only   
judging him by his looks, money and status. Those infatuated and obsessive girls swarm   
over him, making my job more complicated!]  
  
[Anyway, there's a high chance of me shooting some girl who is totally wild over him   
and I hate involving innocent people in my missions. I just want to dispose of the target   
and be done with it.]  
  
[It seems like it's almost impossible to make an attempt on his life in the public...that   
means I'll have to get close to him some other way......learn his hectic schedule......have   
an excuse to follow him around though I can always skulk around unnoticed, but with the   
training he had, he might notice and I don't want to arouse his suspicions. It'll make it   
harder to murder him if he's on his guard whenever he's around me.]  
  
[Know your enemy. I believe in that. Though, I daresay that it'll be much more easier to   
just go up to him and shove a gun at him and end his life there and then, but of course,   
life's never that simple. This guy is a master in martial arts with skills to rival my own.   
He won't be _that_ easy to get rid of.]  
  
[There is one available option - work under him. From that, it branches out into three   
choices – I can either get into his company as a secretary, personal assistant or a   
bodyguard. He is more than capable of defending himself, but he needs the bodyguards to   
fight off the fervent women who would do anything to get their hands on him.] Sakura   
sweatdropped at the mental image which rose in her mind.  
  
[That doesn't really appeal to me in any way. I certainly do not want to fight off half-  
crazed, swooning maniacs...] Sakura shuddered at the thought.  
  
[Besides, he'll know that I am an expert in martial arts as well and that puts me at a   
disadvantage. I don't look like I can pull a punch, let alone hold my own against those   
persistent and desperate female fans. He would show some interest in me and I   
undeniably don't need him to suspect me. Darn!]  
  
[Secretaries are usually females and I really do not want to go as a girl. Although it will   
be *slightly* better than fighting his female fan clubs off, I still do not like that in the   
least bit.]  
  
[That leaves the personal assistant.]   
  
  
  
  
  
[Fine. I'll do it.]  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*^*^*^*^*  
_2 hours later_  
  
Sakura had already sent in her application form, filling it in with an expert hand.  
  
She had done this kind of things several times and knew what they wanted in employees.  
  
Within half an hour, they had faxed her with a message that she could go down for an   
interview anytime within these two days.  
  
  
Now, she viewed herself in her full length mirror.  
  
She couldn't suppress a grin as she stared at her reflection in amusement.  
  
She was wearing a stiff and formal-looking white button shirt with a crisp collar, folded   
down at the edges to look smart and tidy. Her shirt was tucked in and she was wearing   
long, dark trousers which she made sure did not show her feminine figure.   
  
Sakura made a mental note what to look for in men's clothes – she had a hard time   
trying to find a pair of trousers which did not hug her hips, giving away her real gender,   
or one which could stay on her waist without the support of a belt which would definitely   
show her femininity.   
  
Her linen shirt was covered by a stylish tailored suit, westerner style.   
  
Overall, she looked elegant, business-like and sophisticated.   
  
And no one could tell that she was a female from looking at her clothes which did not   
reveal her curves.  
  
Sakura frowned as she studied her hair. Her silky mahogany tresses were fell past her   
shoulders, framing a fair face with delicate features. She still looked like a girl, despite   
the men's clothing.  
  
There was a problem.  
  
Her emerald eyes glinted as her jaw was set in determined line. Raising her chin up   
defiantly, she glared at her image in the mirror.   
  
Sakura thought hard and fast. [If I wear a hat or a cap to conceal my hair, it'll look totally   
ridiculous and I'll feel a fool, wearing a hat in an office building. No, that will not do.]  
  
[Cut my hair??? I can't exactly go up to a barber to make him cut my hair men's style   
and kill him later to silence him...well, I _can_ but I don't _want_ to. And, I don't really know   
how to cut it myself. I'll most probably make a big mess out of it and then, I'll have to   
explain myself to the hairdresser. That kind of happened before and I was the source of   
the gossip for many weeks since.] Sakura winced at the memory of the painful   
experience.   
  
She could still remember it *very* clearly. Her cheeks flamed crimson at the memory of   
her great humiliation and mortification. The painful memory would stay with her for the   
rest of her life.   
  
It had been a year since then and the episode was still etched way too clearly in her   
mind, accompanied by the feelings of extreme embarrassment.   
She felt like it had taken place only yesterday.  
  
Sakura swallowed.  
  
No, she did not want a repeat of that incident.  
  
The wheels in her brain turned furiously as she brainstormed for a solution to her   
dilemma, biting her lower lip in concentration.  
  
  
  
Then,  
  
  
It hit her.  
  
  
  
The _perfect_ solution to her dilemma.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Grinning, she pounced on her old clothes chest which contained special clothes and props   
for plays and the like.  
  
She opened it and started fumbling among the pile of clothes, searching diligently for the   
item she was looking for.  
  
When she finally found it, she grabbed it and raised it up in triumph.  
  
Still grinning, she pinned up her hair loosely, before wrapping the thick white turban   
around her head, completely covering her hair and concealing it, leaving only her fringe,   
tousled and slightly messy from the inexperienced fixing of the turban to be seen.  
  
Perfect.  
  
  
Well, _almost_...   
Sakura adjusted the turban slightly, but wild strands of soft brown hair still fell across   
her face, refusing to stay obediently in it.  
  
Sakura shrugged. Oh well, it had to do.  
  
Taking a bottle of suntan cream, Sakura applied it to her skin thoroughly, making it look   
much darker, as compared to her usual shade of milky white.  
  
Sakura examined her in the mirror once again.  
  
Satisfied, she let a smile grace her face.  
  
Despite the dorky turban, Sakura had somehow managed to make even that look chic and   
professional.  
  
She looked striking and dashing, a 'man' to fall for.   
Sakura looked one to cause quite a number of heartbreaks.  
  
Sakura could pass for a man, and quite a handsome one at that.   
Woman would fall for her unsuspectingly, much less tell that she was a girl  
  
  
Contented with her convincing appearance, Sakura squared her shoulders and strode out   
of her house confidently, with her laptop and a briefcase in her hand.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*^*^*^*^*  
_Office building_  
  
  
"Yukito Tsukishiro," Sakura said in a low voice to the female clerk at the counter, "I'm   
here for the interview."  
  
[Yukito...You'll always live in my memories, love......I'll never forget you.] Sakura   
thought sadly, as she recalled the sweet times they had spent together. They were the   
happiest moments of her life and she would always hold them dear in her heart. A pang   
of sorrow stabbed at her heart.  
  
The female clerk was taking a long time to reply. In fact, she was staring at Sakura   
dreamily and looked as if her heart's desire had come true.  
  
Sakura noticed her blissful look and stared back curiously, clueless as to why she was   
staring at her.  
  
That caused the clerk to almost swoon when Sakura met her eyes with her emerald ones.  
  
"I must have died and gone to heaven..." the clerk muttered, daydreams evident in her   
eyes as she stared at the handsome stranger.  
  
"Pardon, Miss???" Sakura asked politely as she didn't quite catch what she said, giving   
her a blank look.  
  
The clerk came back down to Earth with a jolt. She looked at Sakura under lowered   
eyelids as she said in a sugary voice, laden thick with honey, "Oh! You must be the one.   
My, you are so courageous to try for this post. No one had dared to do so for Mr. Li's   
expectations are very high. You must be quite talented as it takes a lot to be chosen."  
  
The clerk was practically singing her praises.  
  
Sakura had almost choked when she heard the clerk's sweetened voice but the last part   
caught her interest. "Is Mr. Li very hard to please?"  
  
"Yes, _Yukito_. You are _so_ brave. You can be my idol!" the clerk exclaimed brightly.  
  
Sakura's face turned ashen at the clerk's words, and it wasn't from fear of Syaoran Li.  
She stared at the clerk as if she had sprouted two horns and a tail.  
  
In the shadows, a figure swallowed down a bubble of laughter as he watched the   
comical scene unfolding in front of his eyes. He had been on his way out but this   
'Yukito' had caught his attention. 'He' had intrigued him the moment 'he' stepped inside   
the building and he had seen the dazed expression on the clerk's face and heard her   
whisper. He could read the 'man''s expressions very well and it clearly amused him a   
great deal. He continued watching 'him' with great interest, waiting inquisitively for 'his'   
reply.  
  
Recovering herself promptly, Sakura said frostily, "Call me _Tsukishiro_, please, and I   
doubt that I can live up to _your_ expectations as an idol and I'm not suited nor am I   
interested in the part."  
  
The shadowed figure hid a smile. This 'Yukito' was frank and to-the-point. He liked that   
in an employee.  
  
"_Tsukishiro_..." the clerk said, voice dripping with sweetness.  
  
The figure in the shadows could no longer hide his grin when he saw the way 'Yukito'   
winced at the girl's honeyed tone.  
  
"Have you eaten your lunch, _Tsukishiro_?" the clerk was obviously working up to asking   
him for a date.  
  
"Ah, _lunch_." Sakura paused at the hopeful look in the girl's eyes. She hated to break her   
heart but she certainly did not want to spend her time, listening to her flirting. "Sorry to   
disappoint you, but I am having lunch with my _fiancée_."  
  
The clerk looked slightly let down, but she was not going to give up so easily. "How   
about dinner then, _Tsukishiro_?" she asked sweetly as she batted her eyelashes at Sakura   
and touched her fingers boldly.  
  
The figure smirked. 'Yukito' was going through the same torture he went through   
everyday. At last! Someone to share his sorrows!  
  
Sakura stared at her hand pointedly, a cold look in her emerald-green eyes.  
The persistent girl ignored the look, smiling up at Sakura, showing off her pearly white   
teeth, refusing to take the hint.  
  
The figure could barely hold back his laughter. This was a great deal better and definitely   
much more interesting than those _**boring**_, sappy and mushy romance movies which he   
was forced to sit through with women his sisters set him up with.  
  
"I'm also having dinner with my fiancée." Sakura said, yanking her hand away.  
She didn't care if it seemed rude, but she wanted her hand back, not liking the way the   
clerk held her hand possessively.  
With nothing better to do, Sakura launched into a description of Tomoyo as her mind was   
blank and devoid of ideas.   
  
"My fiancée must be the sweetest person alive! She has this absolutely soft wavy hair  
which falls to her waist in these graceful black snaky locks. She has the most amazing   
amethyst eyes which can capture any man's heart and a heart-stopping smile which can   
make any man fall at her feet. She is the gentlest creature alive and she is the kindest   
person ever. She is a reserved, observant and sensitive person. Her personality is great   
and her soul is pure. Sometimes, I feel that she is a guardian angel sent from heaven to be   
by my side. No one can ever rival her divine beauty of spirit and mind. She is the   
sweetest person to have roamed the Earth." Sakura babbled in what she hoped was a   
devoted and lovesick voice. "I love her very dearly." Sakura added, smiling sadly as tears   
glazed her eyes.  
  
[Tomoyo...I miss you very much...please live on...for Hitaro if not for me...?]  
  
The clerk, by now, was very furious. Who was this girl who 'Yukito' had described???   
She had mistaken Sakura 's tears as a wistful look.  
  
The figure in the shadows watched 'Yukito' carefully. He knew that the girl described   
had to be real as no one could come up with such a vivid description within seconds, but   
he was fairly positive that the girl was not 'Yukito''s fiancée for 'he' had not mentioned   
it in the application form, but 'he' was very good. 'Yukito' had him almost convinced,   
what with the haunting description 'he' had given.   
  
He had to stifle his laughter as his shoulders shook at the effort of holding his laughter   
back at the enraged and jealous look on the clerk's face and the slightly hopeful look that   
the girl had fallen for it on 'Yukito''s face.  
  
After a tense silence, Sakura broke it by clearing her throat, "Can you please tell me   
where am I supposed to go for the interview?"  
  
That was his cue.  
Syaoran stepped out of the shadows and said in a somewhat composed voice, "Come this   
way, Tsukishiro."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
======================================================================================  
  
Winged Guardian: Aha! Confrontation between Syaoran and Sakura next chapter!   
How is Sakura going react to Syaoran and how will she act around him???   
Will Syaoran see through her disguise??  
  
  
Please review and hope you enjoyed reading my fanfic!!!  
  
  
  
~ Winged Guardian ~  
_Heart_given_Wings@hotmail.com_  
  
  
  



	4. Chapter Three : 'Syaoran Li'

Disclaimers: Winged Guardian: Card Captor Sakura isn't for me to call my own, though I   
wish dearly that it is.  
  
Note:  
  
"..." stands for speech  
  
[...] stands for thoughts  
  
{...} stands for author's comments  
  
'...' stands for the chapter's title  
  
  
  
**Cold-blooded Assassin**  
  
By Winged Guardian  
  
  
Chapter Three: 'Syaoran Li'  
  
  
The minute Syaoran stepped out of the shadows, Sakura spun around, all senses alert.  
  
Bright green orbs met his burning amber gaze as Sakura drew her in breath sharply, in   
an inaudible gasp.  
  
  
  
Syaoran's POV  
  
Syaoran saw a flicker of some unreadable emotion cross her emerald eyes as 'he' stared   
back at him steadily, almost defiantly, meeting his ocher eyes boldly. [It looks like   
recognition, coupled with something else...but it can't be...how can 'he' already know   
who I am when I haven't even introduced myself yet??]  
  
Both of them stood stock-still, unmoving in their positions, for what felt like an eternity,   
both not breaking the other's gaze.  
  
Sakura met his eyes all too clearly, without the slightest hint of hesitation.  
  
Syaoran just stared at her steadily as she returned his stare with a glare of her own, with   
more than just a hint of **challenge** in those blazing green eyes.  
  
That was something defensive in the manner Sakura met Syaoran's eyes and Syaoran   
sensed it.  
  
There was something more to 'Yukito' than 'he' let on, but he just couldn't put his   
finger on exactly what it was. 'He' was just _**different**_ and Syaoran certainly intended to   
find out what it was if it was the last thing he did.   
  
  
  
  
The moment he met 'his' cool green eyes, he had sensed it. There was an air of   
obscurity surrounding the mysterious stranger with the haunting emerald eyes. Syaoran   
knew at once that 'he' was hiding something the moment he set eyes on him. 'Yukito'   
also had, strangely, a sense of helplessness and great sorrow radiating from his unseen   
aura, and there was just something about 'him' which attracted and drew Syaoran to   
'him', like a fluttering moth to a flickering lamp.  
  
'Yukito' seemed vulnerable, and yet also very strong at the same time.  
  
One thing Syaoran was sure of, 'Yukito' was definitely very willful and could be   
extremely obstinate if he wanted to. He could see it in 'his' resolute green eyes, the way   
'he' had locked his eyes with 'his' own unwavering gaze and the way his jaw was set   
determinedly.  
  
Syaoran could tell that he had to be careful around 'Yukito' and 'his' trust was hard won   
and had to be proven.  
  
  
  
  
What Sakura did not know was, the bigger the challenge, the more she intrigued Syaoran,   
and the more determined Syaoran was to solve her mystery  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
{ Winged Guardian: Sakura is growing into another Touya, don't you think?? I guess it   
runs in the family. *smirks*   
  
Sakura: *indignantly* Am not! Mou! You meanie! }  
  
  
  
Sakura's POV  
  
Sakura had known who it was the minute she saw him.  
  
He was Syaoran Li.  
  
Angered by his spying, she stared at him defiantly, with an air of unbreakable   
resolution, giving him eye for eye, gaze for gaze.  
  
Unfazed by her ferocious glare, he had crossed his arms and leant against the wall,   
examining her quietly.  
  
Sakura saw his powerful air of acute concentration as he studied her.  
  
He gave off the sense that he was used to obedience and his amber eyes demanded her   
darkest secrets, penetrating her shell of cool reserve and tense wariness.  
  
She felt naked under his burning ocher gaze which seemed to uncover her deepest   
secrets.  
  
She felt as if his intense amber gaze could pierce through the mask she wore on the   
outside, seeing right to her heart and stripping her soul of all her hidden secrets.  
  
She could tell that he was a perceptive and observant person and she couldn't shake off   
the feeling that he had somehow seen through her icy exterior to glimpse a little of her   
hidden self and emotions.  
  
She felt uneasy under his deep scrutiny but she was certainly not going to allow him the   
pleasure of seeing her discomfort.  
  
No, she glared right back at him, daring him to do even more.  
  
He just stared back at her calmly, refusing to tear his gaze away from her eyes.  
  
She knew that he would come up with something. He wasn't one to pass up a challenge.  
  
She would have to be all the more careful.  
Sakura did not want to be discovered and the sooner she completed the mission, the   
better.  
  
[Watch out, Syaoran Li.]  
  
She smirked.  
  
[You don't know what you have gotten yourself into. No one messes with Agent 0711   
and lived to tell the tale.]  
  
  
  
Normal POV  
  
There was a tense silence between the two 'men' as their gazes locked, both   
refusing to look away.  
  
  
That is, until...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The sound of high-pitched giggles brought them back to reality.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
And Sakura and Syaoran came back to themselves with a jolt and similar frowns   
appeared on both their faces when they found themselves surrounded by swooning girls   
who looked absolutely delighted and overjoyed to see two gorgeous 'guys'.  
  
"Tsukishiro, please come this way." Syaoran said courteously but firmly.  
  
Sakura was more than glad to get away from these giggly girls.  
  
At moments like these, she was more aware of her real sex than ever and she felt a fool.  
  
Sakura nodded curtly in agreement and both 'men' started walking hastily towards the   
lift which was located at the end of the room.  
  
On their way to the lift, they passed quite a few rows of tables and tried to be discreet as   
they could. However, they still attracted female attention and heads turned wherever they   
went.  
  
The whole female population in the room was staring at them as if their dreams had all   
come true.  
  
"The new guy's cute!"  
  
"Yeah, he's adorable!"  
  
At that, Sakura almost choked. Her, cute!?!?? _Adorable_!?!?!?!! Kami-Sama!!  
  
Syaoran fought to keep his smile from turning into a smirk and succeeded only by the   
barest of fractions.  
  
By then, the male population was glaring at Sakura spitefully. This guy was new and he   
was already a hot shot with the girls!!! Who was he and how dare he!!?!  
  
Sakura saw their hostility and gave them so fierce a glare that the entire room   
immediately fell into an unnatural and uncomfortable silence.  
  
The males who had glared had her were promptly starting to regret it severely and their   
eyes were darting around the room nervously, their gazes falling on anywhere but her.  
  
Syaoran raised an eyebrow, impressed by the young 'man' 's ability to influence others.  
  
However, the noisy females could not manage such a feat as to stay quiet for long. After   
a few minutes, their chatter filled up the whole room once again.  
  
"The new guy looks so _sexy_!!"  
  
Sakura was starting to feel rather sick, hearing their seductive whispers aimed at her.  
Perhaps disguising herself as a guy wasn't such a good idea after all.........  
  
The corners of Syaoran's mouth was twitching uncontrollably when he saw the   
younger 'man''s expression.  
  
"Do you think he'll be interested in a date??"  
  
[Not a chance.] Sakura thought darkly.  
  
"No way!! I saw him first!!"  
  
"He talked to me!" the clerk said possessively.  
  
By then, Sakura wanted out, and increased her walking speed, attempting to ignore the   
loud whispers.  
  
"So what? He'll never be interested in you in a million years!"  
  
[Yeah, that's right. And this extends to all of you.] Sakura thought sarcastically.  
  
The whole room fell into a hurt silence.  
  
Then, Sakura realized that she had accidentally spoken her last thought out loud.  
  
All eyes were on her.  
  
Syaoran smile turned into a one-sided smirk.  
How was 'Yukito' going to get out of that mess?  
  
Sakura cursed herself mentally.  
  
Not wanting to hurt the girls or their pride, Sakura sighed and said loudly for all to hear,   
"I already have a fiancée."  
  
"A **_fiancée_**." Sakura repeated slowly, as if talking to a backward child.  
  
There were disappointed murmurs from the females and relieved sighs from the males.  
  
Before Sakura could rest her heart at ease, the noise level increased dramatically again.  
  
"Well, I bet I can make that new guy fall for me!"  
  
"Yeah! That's an idea! After all, they not married yet! There's still a chance!"  
  
"Yeah, we'll just have to work harder!!!"  
  
By then, all color had drained from Sakura and her face was a ghostly white.  
Instead of killing their hopes, she had somehow unintentionally added fuel to the fire.  
  
Syaoran's smile had turned out into an all-out smirk which was clearly visible.   
Oh well, what could he say? It was true that after all, misery loves company and someone   
was finally experiencing what he had felt all those excruciating years of pure torture and   
painful suffering.  
  
However, the tables turned.  
  
"Nah! Li's cuter!!"  
  
"Yeah, he's such a hunk!"  
  
"Look at all his muscles, the sensuous lips...I bet he's a great kisser!"  
  
Many females sighed at that, blissful expressions on their faces as they fantasized what it   
would be like to kiss Syaoran.  
  
"I wonder how it feels like to be kissed by him..."  
  
"Oh my god...if he did that to me, I wouldn't eat or drink for a month at the very least!!"  
  
Sighs of agreement greeted that sentence.  
  
By now, Sakura was smirking and watching Syaoran Li, clearly amused by his facial expressions.  
  
He had at first turned as white as a sheet, then he blushed a million shades of red, and   
then his face turned an interesting shade of purple.  
  
"Well, well," Sakura drawled, unable to resist the overpowering temptation, "Looks like   
someone here has captured the sexual affections from the majority of the women working   
in this building. Wonder what you did to get them so _obsessed_ with you..."  
  
Making her voice high and shrill, Sakura swung her hips from side to side and   
mimicked the women, putting emphasis on his name, "_his_ sensuous _lips_..._I wonder how it   
feels like to be_ kissed _by **Syaoran**_..._Oh my god_..._I wouldn't eat or drink for a _month_ at the   
very least_!!"  
  
At that, Syaoran had turned a darker shade of red than believed possible and now   
resembled an over-ripe tomato.  
  
Giggles were heard from the room and the women who said that were looking rather   
embarrassed as their colleagues teased them ceaselessly, without mercy.  
  
All eyes were on Syaoran and the newcomer.  
  
Guffaws were heard from the males who were trying desperately to contain their   
laughter but were failing miserably.  
  
The blushing furiously Syaoran was humiliated and extremely embarrassed.   
  
Not to mention annoyed.   
Did I mention annoyed??   
Ah yes, but that word doesn't fit it.   
It was more like, oh, I don't know, _mad, furious, fuming, infuriated, enraged, incensed_.   
  
Oh yes, he was utterly livid.  
  
'Yukito Tsukishiro' was dead meat.  
  
  
Syaoran gritted her teeth and jammed his hands into his pocket. It took every single bit   
of his willpower to control himself and keep from strangling 'Yukito' and murdering him   
slowly with his bare hands.  
  
What really got to him was _how much 'Yukito' had sounded like the women_. 'He'   
sounded very real and woman-like.  
  
Syaoran barely composed himself before he turned slowly to the smirking 'Yukito' and   
gave him a death-glare that clearly said "**SHUT-UP-IF-YOU-VALUE-YOUR-LIFE**"  
  
To annoy him even further, Sakura appeared unaffected by his murderous glare,   
continuing to smirk at the steadily growing angrier by the second Syaoran. Sakura gave   
him an innocent smile which was dripping with sweetness.  
  
It didn't fool him for a second.  
  
He continued glaring at Sakura and his fists clenched into balls which didn't go unnoticed   
by Sakura.  
  
Sakura just gave him an infuriating smile.  
She was enjoying herself immensely. [This is what you get, _Syaoran Li_, when dealing   
with 0711. I can't have you disrupting my plans and ruining my mission which is to   
annihilate you and besides, that's what you get for smirking at my misfortune just now.]  
  
Syaoran scowled ferociously and looked like he was ready to kill anyone who came near   
to him within a mile's radius. 'Yukito' was starting to remind him strongly of his   
annoying cousin, Eriol.   
  
[_Oh, Kami-Sama_!! Not yet _another_ Eriol!!! What have I done to offend you!??!?!?!   
Why is there always someone to make my life a living hell???!!! What have I done in my   
past life to deserve all this!?!??!]  
  
Sakura relented and made a wise decision to remain silent for the rest of the walk to their   
destination.  
  
  
  
*^*^*^*^*  
_5 minutes later_  
  
Sakura stepped into a richly furnished, well-designed and comfortable office which was   
currently empty of its occupants.  
  
Syaoran had decided to let it go for the moment but he swore vengeance for that   
incident.   
  
There was no way that 'Yukito' was going get off the hook so easily. Oh no, he was   
going to lie low for the time being and torture him with the suspense and unease before   
working his revenge on 'him'.  
  
He studied Sakura quietly as she examined the room.  
  
The room was painted a light shade of green, [Pretty unusual, for an office] Sakura noted   
[Judging by the furniture, this office must be of someone of high status and the light   
green signifies that this room is a private office. Obviously, this is the office of someone   
of high importance.]  
  
[The question is whose office this is.]  
  
"This is my office," Syaoran said casually, knowing that she was wondering that by the   
way she examined her surroundings.  
  
Sakura nodded her head, careful to hide her surprise that he could tell what she was   
thinking about. That explained the furniture and the walls. She would have to be more   
careful. She did not want him interpreting her every move.   
  
She wanted to lie low for the moment, before finding out more, then executing her plans   
and confronting him.  
  
She waited patiently for him to start the interview.  
  
Syaoran studied 'Yukito'. Seeing 'his' expectant look, Syaoran started his interrogation.  
  
"Where and what was your last job??"  
  
"Tsuki Corporate Private Limited. Personal assistant."  
  
"Why did you quit?"  
  
Syaoran's amber eyes never left her emerald ones.   
He watched her carefully, looking for signs of deceit.  
  
"My boss died by consuming a venomous poison." Sakura said smoothly, lowering her   
eyes, hinting sorrow.  
[Yeah, my mission was completed. There was no reason for me to remain there.]  
  
Syaoran nodded his head, accepting her explanation.  
  
However, raising an eyebrow, he asked, slightly incredulous, "Poisoned???"   
[This kind of things rarely happens. I mean, poison?? Shot, maybe, but, _poisoned_???]  
  
Hearing the disbelief in his tone, Sakura nodded affirmative, "He was eating dinner   
when he just suddenly dropped dead.", leaving out that she was the one who he was   
having dinner with.  
  
Sakura was a master at herb lore and achieved many awards for her extensive   
knowledge that surpassed many other professionals who worked on it all of their lives.   
She also had a degree in medicines and would have furthered her studies had the accident   
not happened.  
  
As for the poison, she had made it herself, being an expert in the uses of plants   
and even animals, such as the elephant's tusks, some species of snakes' skin or even the   
antlers of some species of antelope. The resulting concoction was a deadly transparent   
liquid that blended in with all types of drinks within a few seconds. It was tasteless and   
no one could tell the difference. A drop of that poisonous potion could make a full grown   
man lose consciousness immediately. It was built to kill silently and painlessly. It left no   
traces in the victim's body. She had named it the Silencer. It consisted of various poisons   
from some species of spiders, snakes, and lord knows what else. It had taken her a month   
of sleepless nights to get it right, as some poisons cancelled out the effects of other   
poisons and she had to balance it properly, using chemicals to neutralize some of its   
effects to leave no sign of its existence.  
  
_And only **she** had the andidote_.  
  
Syaoran suddenly recalled the incident not too long ago which caught his attention. [Ah,   
so that's who 'Yukito' had been working for.]  
  
"Okay. I've viewed your qualifications and they are satisfactory. You're hired." Syaoran   
said.  
  
Sakura smiled, a glint in her pale green eyes.  
  
"However," Syaoran continued in a business-like tone, "I assume that you already know   
that you are expected to be responsible and punctual. Incompetence will not be stood for   
and good quality work is expected from you. If you wish to take leave for personal   
reasons, they have to be liable and you have to consult me beforehand. And last of all,   
you cannot just resign whenever you like."  
  
A wicked smile appeared on Sakura's face and she said sweetly, "You should never   
assume things, Mr. Li."   
  
Syaoran gave her a glare.  
  
"Appearances can be deceiving." Sakura finished, nonchalantly.  
  
His amber eyes narrowed as he studied 'him'. What did that mean?  
  
Sakura just continued smiling at him innocently.  
  
His dark amber eyes flashed in response to the challenge, more determined than ever to   
learn his secrets.   
  
[I'll find out if it's the last thing I do...You're not who you seem you are and one way or   
another, I will discover what you are hiding, Yukito Tsukishiro.]   
  
Suddenly, Syaoran realized that a good way to start was to find out more about 'Yukito'   
and since this was an interview, he had the right to asked all the questions he wanted.  
  
Smiling wolfishly, Syaoran asked, "So, do you live alone?"  
  
Sakura stared at him suspiciously and answered him warily, "Yes."  
  
"Then what about your fiancée??" Syaoran asked sweetly, "Isn't she going to move in   
soon?? When will your marriage be?"  
  
Caught off guard, a light blush crept across her cheeks and she stared at him, speechless.  
  
Syaoran grinned. He was enjoying himself.  
  
Recovering promptly, Sakura glared at him and muttered lowly, "Dirty-minded   
pervert..."  
  
Syaoran heard that and turned a deep shade of red, protesting violently, "No, I don't   
mean it that way! Anyway, isn't it natural that you would, err...feel some attraction or   
desire for her??"  
  
Sakura's furious blush became evident and she thought [Definitely not! Tomoyo is like   
a sister to me and besides, I'm a girl! And she isn't really my fiancée anyway!! But what   
am I going to say to him??? I certainly can't say no!! Wait a minute. **Why are we having   
this sort of conversation anyway**!??!?!?!]  
  
"Why are you asking about this, anyway?? What has it got to do with company   
affairs???" Sakura asked defensively.  
  
Syaoran seemed caught. His brain worked feverishly, searching desperately for a   
suitable answer.  
  
"I need to know more about you to work well together." Syaoran supplied hastily.  
  
Sakura eyed him suspiciously, "You're talking about my fiancée, not me." She stated,   
putting Syaoran into a further stage of discomfort.  
  
"Err..." Syaoran mumbled, eyes downcast.  
  
"What? I can't hear you." Sakura said, a mischievous glint in her playful green eyes.  
  
Syaoran looked up and saw the spark. Realizing that Sakura did that deliberately, his   
cool amber eyes narrowed dangerously and a smirk appeared on his face.  
  
Two could play at this game.  
  
"What?? You want me to come nearer??" Syaoran asked huskily, his voice a low   
murmur as he leant closer to her, his breath warm in her ear.   
  
Sakura swallowed and she tried to move away, staring at him nervously.  
  
Syaoran smirked, amused at her obvious distress.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
_And then_...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
_He got closer_...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
_Closer_...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
_Closer_...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
_And closer_...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
=====================================================================================  
Winged Guardian: Doesn't this scene seem awfully familiar? *far too cheerfully*  
  
People: *growls*  
  
Winged Guardian: *grins*   
  
  
  
=====================================================================================  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Just when he was scant inches from her ear, Syaoran finished the sentence.  
"TSUKISHIRO?!?!?!" he yelled loudly, bursting her eardrums and deafening her.  
  
"HOEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!" Sakura shrieked, and it sounded through the entire   
building.  
  
Employees stopped their work to stare in the direction of the office.  
"The interview seems to be going quite nicely," one of them said, smirking.  
The others snickered loudly.  
  
  
{ Winged Guardian: Haha! Fooled ya!! Syaoran doesn't _know_ that Sakura's a girl......   
........._**yet**_ *smirks* }  
  
  
  
Syaoran collapsed on the floor, laughing hysterically.   
[The look on 'Tsukishiro' face was _priceless_!!!]  
  
Sakura gave him a venomous glare which could strip paint.  
  
She looked ready to murder him.  
  
Syaoran saw the deadly look on her face and sobered instantly, quickly composing   
himself.  
  
He stood up and brushed non-existent dust from his slightly wrinkled clothes.  
  
  
  
He just couldn't resist it.   
  
Smirking, he commented casually, in a tone like he was talking about the weather, "By   
the way, you sounded like a girl."  
  
At that, Sakura turned a deathly pale and her anger drained out of her immediately.  
  
She swallowed and cursed herself mentally. [**BAKA!! BAKA!! BAKA!! You forgot to   
disguise your voice when he gave you a shock!!! You almost ruined everything!!! Now,   
ACT like a boy!!**]  
  
Sakura growled, low in her throat and glared daggers at him.  
  
Syaoran hastily moved a safe distance away from her and changed the subject rapidly,   
"Why do you wear that turban??"  
  
Syaoran screamed at himself mentally. [What a lame subject!!!]  
  
Sakura looked uncomfortable and said quickly, "It is for religious purposes."  
  
Syaoran stopped yelling at himself mentally and eyed her carefully. [Is it me? Or does   
'Yukito Tsukishiro' feel uncomfortable talking about the turban??]  
  
Sakura fidgeted under his close scrutiny.  
  
[Oh well. Perhaps turbans are sensitive subjects to people of that religion.] Syaoran   
thought, dismissing it.  
  
"Never mind." Syaoran said. "What about your parents??"  
  
Sakura heaved a sigh of relief in her mind and returned to glaring at him crossly.  
  
"Choked to death." Sakura said, glaring at Syaoran as if she was wishing that _Syaoran_   
would choke to his death.  
  
"Your sister?"  
  
"Died of the Mad Cow Disease."  
  
"Your brother?"  
  
"Killer litter."  
  
"Your cousins?"  
  
"They strangled one another to death."  
  
"Your aunts and uncles?"  
  
"Drowned."  
  
"Your nieces and nephews?"  
  
"Committed suicide."  
  
Syaoran had to choke down his laughter. 'Yukito' was glaring at him as if he wished that   
_all_ those things happened to _him_.  
  
"My, what tragic endings. How creative." Syaoran said, clearly amused.  
  
"So, why are you the only one still alive??"  
  
A flicker of some unfathomable emotion crossed her pale green eyes, as she suddenly   
looked haunted and furtive but it passed so quickly that Syaoran wasn't sure that he really   
saw it.  
  
But, during that split-second, Sakura had seemed so vulnerable and something new, a   
strange warm emotion of fierce protectiveness came over Syaoran; and for some   
unknown reason, Syaoran found himself wanting to take Sakura into his arms and   
comfort her, promising that no one would ever hurt her again.  
  
The strange emotion passed, leaving Syaoran feeling confused.  
  
"No idea." Sakura said in an emotionless tone in answer to his question.  
  
Somehow, Sakura seemed even more distant than she had been before, cold and aloof to   
the world.  
  
She had shut herself away.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
=====================================================================================  
  
Winged Guardian: *hums a tune, seemingly harmless*   
  
  
  
_But things are never what they seem_  
  
  
  
**Suddenly**  
  
  
*starts yelling happily* PEOPLE!!!! PLEASE **REVIEW**!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   
  
Winged Guardian: *smirks at the people groaning on the floor, clutching their deafened eardrums*  
  
Hope you enjoyed reading my fanfic!!!  
  
  
  
~ Winged Guardian ~  
_Heart_given_Wings@hotmail.com_  
  
  
  



	5. Chapter Four : 'Suspicions Arise'

Disclaimers: Winged Guardian: *sighs wearily* Card Captor Sakura isn't mine and never will be.   
  
Note:  
  
"..." stands for speech  
  
[...] stands for thoughts  
  
{...} stands for author's comments  
  
'...' stands for the chapter's title  
  
  
  
**Cold-blooded Assassin**  
  
By Winged Guardian  
  
  
Chapter Four: 'Suspicions Arise'  
  
  
Syaoran POV  
  
He had started to regret his words.  
  
He couldn't see why what he said upset 'Tsukishiro'.  
  
Well, 'Tsukishiro' seemed cool and unaffected on the outside, but he wasn't fooled by   
his demeanor of iciness.   
  
Somehow, he could sense his sorrow and grief buried deep inside him.  
  
And he could tell by the way he kept pushing him away, keeping him away at a   
distance.  
  
The warmth in the room of their friendly rivalry and enmity had dissipated.  
  
Instead, the atmosphere was cold, chilly as the air was charged with hostility and   
opposition.  
  
'Tsukishiro' had withdrawn into himself and nothing he said could draw him out.  
  
Everything he said was greeted by a cold stare and a frosty and curt answer.  
  
He was starting to get tired and annoyed with all this.  
  
Syaoran almost laughed out as the irony of the situation hit him.  
He was usually the one repelling people while the others tried to draw him out.  
However, the tables had turned and now, _he_ was the one being kept at a distance.   
  
  
Now, he finally understood how the others had felt when he did that.  
  
  
Normal POV  
  
Syaoran raked his fingers through his tousled chestnut hair, a gesture of exasperation.  
  
Sakura almost smiled at the boyish gesture. _Almost._  
  
Frustrated, he slammed his hands on the table and put his face dangerously close to   
Sakura's.  
  
Sakura didn't even flinch. She just stared back at him coolly, her face an impassive   
blank.  
  
"For God's sake! Stop acting like that," Syaoran said, his amber eyes flashing   
dangerously.  
  
Something in the depths of those deep dark green eyes flickered and she met his stare   
defiantly, defensively.  
  
"Like what?" Sakura challenged, her voice low and deadly.  
  
Sakura's eyes were cold hard gems of green as she glared up at the man who was   
head and shoulders taller than she was.  
  
There was a tense silence between the two as the atmosphere became charged with   
electricity, none willing to give in to the other.  
  
"Well, well," a voice interrupted their glaring contest, "I take back what I've said my cute   
little descendent. There is indeed someone in this world that glares just like you do."  
  
Both spun around immediately, Sakura gripping the hilt of a knife in her pocket which   
was filled with various........._interesting_ objects, such as a vial of lock-melting acid, a spy   
camera so small that it is invisible to the naked eye, an earpiece, etc.  
  
They were met with a sight that made Sakura's jaw drop and Syaoran sigh with   
exasperation after realizing who exactly it was.  
  
A man in his mid-twenties was smirking creepily at them. That wasn't very strange,   
although his azure-eyed smile was sending chills down her spine, but what had shocked   
Sakura so was that he had seemingly entered through the window, judging by the open   
window, billowing curtains, and the leaves on his stylish clothes.  
  
The navy-haired man gave her a kind, careless and relaxed smile, as if granting her   
permission to look at him all she wanted.  
  
Sakura blinked.  
  
Smirking, Syaoran slid a finger under her jaw and shut it for her. Unceremoniously.  
  
Sakura came to her senses and reverted back to glaring at her, in terms of work at the   
company, superior.  
  
Syaoran, however, merely smiled blandly at her.  
  
Turning to the stranger who had observed this exchange with a great deal of uncanny   
interest, Syaoran's manner changed entirely.  
  
"Eriol!! What on earth are you doing here?!! And why can't you enter my office the   
**_normal_** way?!?!?" demanded Syaoran, agitated as he emphasized on the word 'normal'.  
  
Eriol just smiled calmly at him, replying seemingly without a single care in the world,   
or maybe being related somewhat to Syaoran would have that effect on one's sanity,   
"That _is_ the normal way for me."  
  
Seeing that Syaoran was about to blow up, and the Eriol guy was doing nothing to   
soothe him, Sakura decided to step in and intervened before disaster struck, despite the   
amusement of seeing Syaoran so enraged.  
  
"I don't believe we met. Yukito Tsukishiro." said Sakura, offering a hand to him.  
  
He gripped her hand firmly, still smiling eerily, "Eriol. Eriol Hiiragizawa."  
  
When he grasped her hand, Sakura's emerald eyes widened as a strange sensation rushed   
through her, awakening something buried deep inside.  
  
Then, Eriol let go of her hand, and as suddenly as it had started, it was over.  
  
Dazed, staring at the mysterious indigo-haired man who was much more than what he   
seemed, Sakura never noticed a photograph falling out of her pocket, onto the floor.  
  
A frown appeared on Syaoran's face as he studied the stunned expression on his   
assistant's face and when he saw the photograph descend towards the floor, he bent down   
and picked it up.  
  
Syaoran studied the photo intently. It was a picture of a girl in her sixteenths. Her head   
was bent down, auburn locks falling gracefully across her face. Her eyes were closed and   
long dark lashes rested on her cheeks as a serene smile graced her face. She was clad in a   
simple white dress with a silver ribbon that showed her slender waistline, shimmering in   
the moonlight. Her face was bathed gently in the pale white glow of the moonlight and   
her hands were clasped together, as if in prayer. And she looked like an angel.  
  
Syaoran felt a strange and foreign emotion stir deep within him and he had a sudden   
impulse to see the girl open her eyes so that he could see their color.  
  
Suddenly, an all too familiar voice broke his train of thoughts. "I came because I   
thought you may need some help," pausing there, Eriol turned to direct a mysterious   
smile at Sakura.  
  
Sakura hid her discomfort by narrowing her stunning green orbs at him; but Eriol's   
smile just grew wider and she had the uncanny feeling that this was no ordinary guy and   
he knew a lot more than he let on.  
  
To Sakura's slight relief and great annoyance, he just continued what he was saying, "but   
now I see that you require no help."  
  
She preferred outright confrontations to waiting as her unease grew with the passing   
days as nothing was done.  
  
Sometimes, she wondered how she had managed to survive so long.  
  
Eriol's smirk grew wider as he saw identical irritated expressions on both Syaoran and   
'Tsukishiro''s faces.  
  
Raking a hand through his already messy chestnut hair, Syaoran stated impatiently,   
"Stop talking in riddles Eriol. Just get straight to the point. You know how I hate it when   
you talk like that. I never understand a single word you're saying!"  
  
Eriol simply grinned charmingly and strode towards the window as his long tailored   
jacket billowed out behind him.  
  
When he passed Syaoran, he whispered without stopping or even casting a glance at   
him, "Be careful. You may have met your match in 'Tsukishiro'. Things are never   
what they seem on the surface."  
  
And with that, Eriol jumped out of the window gracefully in a rustle of cloth.  
  
Syaoran sighed inaudibly. He knew that Tsukishiro wasn't someone to be taken lightly   
all right.  
  
Sakura stared after him, muttering something that sounded like, "Weird person..."  
  
Hearing that, Syaoran's scowl broke into a grin and he said, "Yeah, and I have known   
him for years and my opinion of him has yet to change. I doubt it ever will."  
  
Smirking, Sakura said sweetly, "I guess being around you has this kind of effect on   
people."  
  
Syaoran was nodding agreeably with his thoughts far away when the meaning of her   
words hit him and his head snapped up to deliver a death-glare to her.  
  
"What did you say, Tsukishiro?" he asked, voice menacingly low.  
  
Sakura grinned at him with no sign of repent, that is, until she saw the photograph in his   
hand.  
  
She froze and all color drained from her face.  
  
Seeing the expression on her face as she stared at the item, Syaoran had to force back a   
cruel smirk and he lifted the photo and asked casually, leaning against a pale green wall,   
"Oh, this?"  
  
Pure horror was reflected on her face and she seemed to be nailed to the spot, in a state of   
shock.  
  
"Oh, I just saw this photograph lying around here," said Syaoran, gesturing carelessly at   
a part of the marble floor as he enjoyed the feeling of the power he held over Tsukishiro.   
_**Oh, was revenge sweet...**_  
  
"I was pretty sure I didn't bring this out..." she muttered incomprehensibly. Her brain   
seemed to be swimming through mud.  
  
"Are you saying your prayers, Tsukishiro?" he drawled, no longer able to hide his   
growing smirk.  
  
[**_What_?!?!?!**] Sakura broke out of her trance and glared murderously at him [**The nerve   
of that guy!!! Just because he's the head of the Li Corporation doesn't mean that I   
have to stand such crap from him!! I'm the _0711_ and I'm not going to just stand   
there and let people push me around!**]  
  
And with that, a malicious smile began to tug at the corners of her mouth.  
  
She was going to make Syaoran wish that he had never crossed her path ever.  
  
[_Eat your words, Syaoran Li!_]  
  
  
  
  
*^*^*^*^*  
Syaoran's POV  
  
  
Leaning against the connecting door to Tsukishiro's office which he had made   
absolutely sure that it was locked firmly, Syaoran heaved a sigh of relief.  
  
Yes, he had given Tsukishiro an office for himself, since he _was_ his personal assistant   
after all.  
  
A smile slowly crept onto his face, unnoticed.  
  
He walked to his desk and settled himself down comfortably.  
  
He thanked the gods and heavens that he had finally found a personal assistant that was   
**_NOT_** an infatuated female who would croon over his 'cute' looks and flirt with him at   
every chance.  
  
He was getting desperate after hundreds of interviews with women who would look at   
him with those flirty/dreamy/shy/eager/you-know-you-want-me eyes and the sickening   
saccharine smiles.  
  
He especially couldn't stand the bold ones. It was bad enough that in every corner there   
would be girls giggling and throwing his _those_ glances; but to have women actually going   
up to him and trying to make their moves on him was simply too much!  
  
[I mean, I have the patience of a saint; but there is a limit, and I'm seriously tired of all   
this!] he had thought, frustrated [Good looks are no reason for women to throw   
themselves at me! I have enough of this! I don't care anymore – I'm getting a **_male_** for   
my assistant!]  
  
And so, he had gotten his secretary to reject every application from a female before   
hurrying out before Annie (his secretary) could start to try to get him interested in going   
out on a date with her.  
  
He had winced at the memory of Annie shrieking hysterically after he left the room that   
her hair was mussed and she didn't put on much makeup.  
  
So what if there were rumors that he was gay!? To hell with that! As long as he could   
escape from all those persistent women, he didn't give a damn what people thought or   
said about him! Syaoran's tawny eyes blazed rebelliously.  
  
At least his sisters were not here in Japan to pester him about 'marriage and nieces and   
nephews'.  
  
  
  
And then Yukito Tsukishiro had come.  
  
  
True, Tsukishiro might be a little peculiar, especially about the turban, and he was   
closed up and would not answer anything remotely personal, at least not truthfully or   
directly............the corners of his mouth lifted as he recalled the answers he received   
when he had asked him about his family members earlier on during the interview.  
  
Despite that, Tsukishiro seemed a willing worker with possible undiscovered talents and   
it was exceedingly entertaining to irk him.  
  
His smile turned evil.  
  
Then, he winced, recalling the price he had to pay for 'playing with fire'.  
  
In the end, he had to subdue his assistant who could possibly be a hazard to his safety by   
shoving him into the adjoining office and locking the door after slamming it in his face.  
  
Despite himself, he felt a grin blossom on his face at that particular memory.  
  
His grin, if possible, grew even wider, when he recalled the incident around half an hour   
ago when a windblown Tsukishiro had raced into his office from the main door -he   
couldn't possibly lock the main door as well- and rushed to the window to look at the   
many floors down.  
  
The Li Corporation building was actually a skyscraper after all.  
  
Syaoran couldn't repress a grin at the bewildered expression on Tsukishiro's face as he   
had tried unsuccessfully to figure out how his annoying -_ahem_- _**friend**_ had managed to   
leap out of the window so casually and why there weren't the sound of sirens of an   
ambulance coming to fetch the insane man to the hospital.  
  
The poor Tsukishiro still had not figured out how there could be leaves on Eriol's jacket   
when there wasn't a single tree in sight.  
  
Then, he had glared at the grinning Syaoran before stalking out of his office with his   
head up high.  
  
Life had suddenly grown so much more interesting; a sinful grin appeared on Syaoran's   
face.  
  
Anyway, Tsukishiro was a blessing after all those women. And when he had turned out   
to have the ideal qualifications for the job, it was a dream come true.  
  
It was almost too good to be true. Wait, Tsukishiro _was_ perfect for the position, **_too _**  
perfect in fact.  
  
His ocher eyes narrowed as the beginnings of suspicions buried deep within began to   
arise.  
  
Whipping around in his wheeled armchair, Syaoran began to type furiously on the   
keyboard as his eyes were trained on the screen of his laptop.  
  
His brow was furrowed in concentration as he began the impossible search in the   
government profiles for information on Yukito Tsukishiro.  
  
He sagged back in his chair when his search proved futile.  
  
True, he did find a matching file on him, but the file was flawless. It matched all that   
Tsukishiro had written in the application form.  
  
He sighed. He didn't expect Tsukishiro to be so careless as to forget to alter the   
information.  
  
He was mildly impressed though. He hadn't expected that Tsukishiro would be able to   
hack into the government files, let alone change the details.  
  
Syaoran smirked.  
  
Finally, a challenge for him.  
  
He resolved to solve the mystery that was 'Yukito Tsukishiro'.  
  
And when Syaoran Li set his mind to do something, _**nothing**_ was impossible.  
  
Watch your back, 'Yukito Tsukishiro'.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
=====================================================================================  
  
Winged Guardian: There you go, a decent update after all that waiting. *grins*  
  
Winged Guardian: Actually, I was going to write more when I decided that it was going   
to be for the next chapter. *dodges tomatoes*  
  
Winged Guardian: What a waste of perfectly fine tomatoes too! *shakes head   
disapprovingly*  
  
People: *armed with _much_ sharper objects than tomatoes*  
  
Winged Guardian: *takes a look at the people assembled in front and comments   
casually* You know, in order to be a good general, you need to know   
when to attack and also when to retreat; and now, I shall take my   
leave. *flies away in a flurry of light golden feathers*  
  
  
  
Anyway,  
  
Please review and hope you enjoyed reading my fanfic!!!  
  
  
  
~ Winged Guardian ~  
_Heart_given_Wings@hotmail.com_  
  
  
  



	6. Chapter Five : 'Sakura's Past'

Disclaimers: Winged Guardian: This is just a short chapter on Sakura's past. What   
happened initially after the accident. As you all know,   
such fame can't be achieved in a day.   
  
Winged Guardian: I may not be updating for a while, what with school   
reopening and all, so I'm giving you guys this   
background information to make up for it.  
  
Winged Guardian: And CCS still does not belong to me. *forlornly*   
  
Note:  
  
"..." stands for speech  
  
[...] stands for thoughts  
  
{...} stands for author's comments  
  
'...' stands for the chapter's title  
  
  
  
**Cold-blooded Assassin**  
  
By Winged Guardian  
  
  
Chapter Five: 'Sakura's Past'  
  
  
The past years of Sakura's life were not pleasant. She lived life on the edge; and many   
times, she was a hair's breadth away from capture and failure, and she almost fell off the   
edge. However, she gritted her teeth and held on.   
  
She meant to survive and so she did.  
  
Sakura had at first lived on the streets, having sold her house and almost all of her   
possessions to pay for the medical fees. That part of her life was the dimmest point of   
time for her; So much that she had almost given up all hope, and the only thing that kept   
her going was the thought of Touya and Tomoyo and the faint and unconscious belief   
that they would somehow pull through.   
  
She led a miserable life then, constantly running from the authorities and learning to   
cover her tracks through painful experience. She had to learn the rules and the structure   
of the way things were run there. And the first thing she learnt was that it was no place   
for a woman. That is, a woman unclaimed by any notorious name.  
  
Sakura had to disguise herself as 'a young and scrawny lad who didn't know any better'   
or so she came to be known as. She had to learn things by others' experiences and her   
own; and often, by the hard way. There was no one to look out for her. The place was a   
cold and uncaring one – who cared if an unknown person died? People died by the   
hundreds everyday over there, and they would simply just look on, emotionlessly. They   
were too used to it. To them, it was just something simple and common as breathing.  
  
At that time, Sakura had never felt more alone. No one cared. So what if someone died?   
It was just a meaningless number, a mere statistics. They minded their own business and   
only did things for their own benefits. She saw things she never thought she would ever   
see, unspoken horrors no one could ever imagine. And when her stomach had rebelled   
and she threw up what little she had eaten, the people had simply laughed and said that   
the 'green' boy would learn.  
  
When a woman was brutally raped in front of her eyes, she had stood there, speechless   
with horror. She rushed out and tried to stop the man, but the others laughed at her   
obvious revulsion, their smiles never reaching their eyes, and they held her back. She   
kicked and flailed, wanting to stop the disgusting act, but all in vain. After she finally   
realized that she could do nothing, she turned her head and closed her eyes, tears   
streaming down her cheeks as she tried to tune out the woman's desperate screams and   
peals for help. When the man had finished with her, he casually stood up and asked her if   
she wanted a turn. Her horrified green eyes looked at the woman, sobbing in defeat and   
shame of what had been done to her; and she shook her head no mutely. The man   
shrugged his shoulders indifferently and calmly took out a knife and plunged it into the   
woman's heart.   
  
When she saw the woman crumple lifelessly, her desolate black eyes unseeing, she had   
burst into tears and fled from the place, running down a dark alley as the sound of   
laughter followed and hounded her.  
  
It still haunted her in nightmares years after.  
  
Her innocent and positive outlook on life was torn away, shattered into pieces; and   
Sakura finally realized, that the world wasn't so beautiful after all.  
  
Sakura struggled to fit and blend into a cruel society where the strong ruled and the   
weak was left to die and trying to earn a name and place for herself. Her efforts had paid   
off.  
  
Recognizing her skills and subtlety, she was sent on numerous missions which she had   
all completed successfully, though she had many close calls.  
  
As her name started to be known and spread throughout the black society, the danger   
increased as she was called to deal with more 'important' people.  
  
When she had finally achieved her current status, the first thing she did was to stop   
people like those men, gaining enemies on the way. There were far too many of them to   
prevent repeats of those incidents, but she tried and did what she could.  
  
However, one good thing resulted from all this.  
  
Sakura learnt that in the world, there was no one who could be depended on but herself.   
  
Nothing lasted forever, and people died.  
  
She had to learn to fend for herself, in order to survive; and it was best, that she trusted   
no one, for as long as humans lived, betrayal was always present, intentional or not.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
=====================================================================================  
  
Winged Guardian: Pretty sad chapter. It's going to take a lot to get Sakura to open up   
and trust Syaoran. Will Syaoran be able to earn her trust and love?  
  
Winged Guardian: *grins evilly* No one knows but me.   
  
  
  
Anyway,  
  
Please review and hope you enjoyed reading my fanfic!!!  
  
  
  
~ Winged Guardian ~  
_Heart_given_Wings@hotmail.com_  
  
  
  



	7. Chapter Six : 'Forgotten Identity'

Disclaimers: Winged Guardian: People, I'm very, very sorry for the long delay, but my   
computer was one of those which got infected by the Blaster Worm and nothing I did would get   
rid of it. In the end, I rebooted my entire computer and later on, had trouble installing the   
accursed Microsoft Word. 

Winged Guardian: I made this chapter extra long to make up for the long wait and no, I have   
not abandoned my fics, and neither do I own CCS. Read and enjoy!

Note:

"..." stands for speech

[...] stands for thoughts

{...} stands for author's comments

'...' stands for the chapter's title

  
  


Cold-blooded Assassin

By Winged Guardian

  
Chapter Six: 'Forgotten Identity'

  
Sakura Kinomoto was bored.

And when Sakura Kinomoto was bored, she was positively dangerous.

She spun a silver-hilted knife in the air, catching it neatly in one hand without batting an   
eyelash.

She had hacked into the company files after breaking the high security with the ease of   
experience and downloaded the blueprints of the entire building. She had even gone to   
the painful extent of charming Annie, Li's secretary, into giving her the meetings and   
appointments scheduled for the week.

She winced at the memory of the blonde woman with the deep blue eyes who had   
fluttered her eyelashes at her shamelessly and dripped honey as she chattered light-  
heartedly, trying to draw her into a conversation. 

  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Flashback - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Entering the secretary's room while important phone calls were received and meetings were   
scheduled, Sakura gave the room a good once-over.

The room was small, as to be expected, but it wasn't crammed either. It was rather plain,   
the walls whitewashed and the floor a pale white marble. There was a glass window at   
the left wall, over-looking the streets below. At the moment, the white curtains were   
pushed to a side, allowing the rays of sunlight to streak in, illuminating the room nicely and giving   
the room a slightly cheery atmosphere.

Despite the years of living life on the edge, escaping authorities, covering her tracks and   
learning things the hard way as; a little of her old spirit, crushed beneath the her hard   
experiences, still remained; And now, that forgotten identity stirred and a tiny smile, so   
minuscule that it was almost invisible and only the most observant of all people would notice it,   
tugged at the corners of her lips.

Annie, of course, missed all these little details and thought nothing of it, other than hopefully   
she might be able to get a tan while stuck in a boring old room.   
Overall, it was rather spacious, despite the small size of the room.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - End Flashback - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

  
Sakura shuddered at the memory of Annie's fake high-pitched laughter.

It was pretty hard to keep her composure when caught in such a situation; but she had   
managed. 

After all, she was now an expert, hardened by her experiences. One little thing could get   
you killed, for in a profession such as this, you not only had to be good at treading on thin   
ice, but also at crushing your emotions and what was left of your humanity, so as not to   
be held at an advantage. 

People who worked, hired or mixed with her group were all ruthless and would stop at   
nothing to get what they wanted, or in some cases: a little more money.

It was amazing what people would do simply for the sake of some banknotes.

A bitter laugh escaped her throat. After all, wasn't she a living example as well?

What mattered if a few lives were lost along the way?

No one cared, and those who did were too often found lying dead in dark alleys with all   
possessions with some value missing.

It was a hard world she lived in.

Closing her eyes, Sakura sighed inaudibly and brushed away a few stray hairs   
impatiently.

She really should not dwell on such. It certainly did her current occupation no good. It   
wouldn't do to see 0711 fall onto 'his' knees.

Forcing out her thoughts and feelings, none of which were positive, her eyelids opened   
slowly, grimly, to reveal cold hard gems of a stony green.

Discipline was never something she lacked...

...Hearing the soft click of a door closing to her left, without pausing she sent the silver-  
hilted knife, which found its way into her hand from the table half a meter away in a   
flash, flying through what was previously empty space.

There was a whistle too high for human ears to catch as metal sliced through air and a   
sound of cloth tearing; a muffled 'thud' as the pierced cloth slammed forcefully into the   
sturdy oak door, pinned firmly in place by the stainless steel blade deeply embedded into   
the solid wood where its surface was smooth and unblemished a few seconds ago.

Spinning around in her wheeled armchair, Sakura was greeted by the sight of Syaoran   
standing motionlessly by the door, his pupils dilated in shock as he stared mutely at the   
square of cloth that was formerly part of the designer suit covering his shoulders.

Sakura's mind raced as she came up with a reasonable explanation for her perfect aim,   
aside for skill and expertise. She would not allow anyone to know too much, least of all,   
him.

At the same time, however, Sakura couldn't help but bask in his obvious astonishment   
and loss of his usual composure. A smirk graced her lips and she held her head high, a   
proud glint barely visible in her sea-green eyes.

Recovering from his shock, Syaoran turned his head to look at Sakura, amber eyes   
contemplative as his eyes took her in once again charily, not missing a single detail.

After his careful scrutiny of his assistant, Syaoran turned to the knife. Running a finger   
along the Celtic carvings on the silver hilt, he studied the design, his finger coming to a   
rest on a heart half enfolded in slender wings right on the center of the hilt.

Although it ought to look feminine, it only served to increase its aesthetic value.

Pulling the knife out of the unyielding wood that refused to give up its occupant, his   
other hand was extended, palm up, towards the door.

Freed, the square of cloth fluttered around in spirals, finally landing on his outstretched   
hand.

His callused fingers curled inwards and he slipped the piece of cloth casually into his   
shirt pocket.

Returning his attention to the knife, Syaoran turned the blade to face upwards and   
thoughtfully placed a strand of hair on it. Without applying any pressure, the hair was cut   
into two by the keen metal edge, the two half-strands falling to the marble floor.

Syaoran whistled, impressed.

Passing the knife back to its owner, hilt out as was the custom, Sakura accepted it quietly.

After a stretch of silence, Syaoran spoke up, choosing his words carefully, "It is luck   
that I am not injured. Perhaps it is a good thing that your aim is not better than the level it   
already reaches."

"Oh, I've practiced." said Sakura, shrugging carelessly as she gestured at a wall scarred   
with the marks nine inches of silver and a few various items made when thrown from a   
certain distance and achieving their aim.

Syaoran stared.

Sakura forced down a smirk.

She failed to mention that the marks were made when she was practicing with both   
hands tied up around her wrists and that she had missed only by mere centimeters even   
then. Her aim without any sort restrain was already perfected a year ago.

After a pause, Syaoran commented dryly, "You have.........unusual interests."

Noticing a blunt pocketknife attached to a ring of keys, Syaoran walked to it and pulled it   
out of its position incredulously.

Tsukishiro had certainly been practicing.

A sly glint appeared in his ocher eyes as he fingered the keys almost absently.

Sakura didn't like that expression. Not one bit.

"Give it back to me." said Sakura warningly. 

Syaoran considered saying no, and perhaps he wasn't so smart after all because it was   
exactly what he said.

"No."

"Thank y-" Sakura started to say when his answer sank in.

"Could you repeat what you've just said?" asked Sakura in disbelief.

"Certainly," Syaoran replied charmingly, "I said no."

"Excuse me?" Sakura was starting to feel annoyed now. What was up with this strange   
guy? Was he created specially to irritate her? First, the photograph, and now, this. What   
on earth was wrong with him? He was courting his own death!

"Well, you damaged company property," Syaoran explained, hiding a smile as he waved a hand   
at the wall, "It is only fair that I take something of yours for payment."

Sakura was starting to wish that she had not missed on purpose.

"Take the payment for repairs out of my salary." said Sakura, now openly glaring at him.

"Rule number 84 states that I have the right to choose what I want as payment as long as   
it does not exceed the price for the repairs. And unfortunately for you, I would rather   
keep these." he said, smirking cruelly.

He was enjoying himself.

"Fine! Keep them if you want! They're just a bunch of bloody keys!" said Sakura,   
frustrated. Why did he even want them in the first place?!

"So that means I can go to your apartment whenever I choose?" he asked casually.

His careless words sent a wave of ice crashing down on her.

He continued mercilessly, "_Dear Yukito_, didn't you remember that the function of keys   
is to open doors? The doors to your apartment in this case."

"No, you cannot." said Sakura, her voice dangerously quiet.

"I believe I can." said Syaoran, grinning.

An idea struck Sakura.

Nodding agreeably, Sakura replied, "Yes you can..."

Syaoran stared at her, flabbergasted. It wasn't like Tsukishiro to admit defeat so readily.

He had no idea how right he was.

"...If you marry me." Sakura completed her sentence.

He gaped at her.

It was her turn to give him a charismatic smile. She didn't even have to hide her glee.

"Wha-what?" he spluttered helplessly.

"You see, only my fiancée can have another set of keys to my home. It is only fitting,   
don't you think?"

Looking rather green, Syaoran returned the object of their attention hastily.

Sakura grinned. [Score one!]

Changing the subject quickly, Syaoran asked tactlessly, "Where did you learn how to   
handle knifes?"

"Oh, that."

With ease of long hours spent on practice, Sakura began to juggle with the knife and   
keys, adding a few pens and a pair of scissors from the table.

  


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Flashback - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A four year old Sakura skipped happily along the stream, humming a cheerful tune as a   
gentle breeze swept her short brown locks back.

Anxious eyes of dark brown watched the bobbing auburn head like a worried mother   
hen as the boy, serious for the young age of only nine, followed the ball of energy that   
was his sister worriedly.

"Sakura! Be careful!" he called out, forgetting to hide his concern for her in the moment   
of worry.

A childish tinkering laugh greeted that statement as Sakura continued skipping, leaping over   
small boulders recklessly, not taking his warning seriously.

Turning her head back to look at him, Sakura grinned and shouted cheerfully, "It's alright!   
You're such a worrywart, Oni-chan."

Not seeing the rock in her path, Sakura tripped over it and landed on one leg awkwardly.   
She collapsed into a heap on the grass when her leg, unable to take her full weight, gave   
way.

Touya put on a burst of speed, running as fast as his legs could carry him and was   
instantly by Sakura's side.

"Sakura! Sakura! Are you alright?!"

The girl's head was lowered as she clutched her ankle tightly and she raised her head at   
the sound of her brother's voice.

Her emerald eyes were brimming with tears and on her face was an expression of pain that sent   
daggers into Touya's heart.

"I'm sorry, 'Nii-chan... I should have listened to you..." said Sakura as she looked down at the   
ground.

Her shoulders were shaking slightly and she waited for a scolding or a reprimand from   
her stolid brother, at least.

None came.

A gentle hand was placed on her shoulder, and she looked up startled, only to see upset   
brown eyes that radiated warmth.

"Shhhh......... It's alright. Don't cry, little Kaijuu."

Placing his hands on her hurt ankle stained with little bits of grass and dirt, Touya saw   
Sakura flinch and he said softly, "This'll hurt, but your ankle will feel better afterwards."

Nodding her head a little apprehensively, she winced and bit back a scream when he   
started massaging her ankle and twisting her foot in different directions methodically.

Tears were streaming down her cheeks openly now, but she made no noise but for a few   
whimpers of pain as her fists curled into balls.

Touya gazed at his sister in wonder as he marveled at her bravery. Many children of her   
age would have burst out sobbing hysterically long since, but his sister was different. 

His sister was special; she was _unique_.

Biting her bottom lip, Sakura never saw the glint of pride in Touya's eyes as he gazed at   
her lowered head.

After a short while, the fire in her ankle started fading to a light throbbing pain. Soon,   
the pain had left almost entirely but for a dull ache.

Sighing in relief, Sakura lifted her head to stare at her elder brother in open admiration   
and adoration. 

"Oni-chan, you're the greatest brother anyone can have! You're so smart and you can   
do anything!"

Embarrassed by her earnest praise, a light blush promptly spread across his cheeks and   
he looked away.

"Let's go home, Sakura," he said gruffly.

Sakura laughed, a sweet silvery sound, unruffled by her brother's reaction.

"Okay," she chirped and stood up, ready to set off back home.

And she fell down again.

"Ouch," Sakura complained, her tone accusing, "You'd never said that it'll hurt when   
I try to stand up again, 'Nii-chan!"

"Baka Kaijuu."

Sakura was opening her mouth to yell insults at him when she saw the mirth in his dark   
eyes as he gazed at her in amusement.

Instead, she settled for turning away in a huff, pouting sulkily.

Touya recognized one of her moods when he saw it.

"Nooooo, Sakura, don't give me the silent treatment!" begged Touya, "I'm your dearest   
brother, remember?" 

Sakura refused to even glance at him.

"Here," beseeched Touya, "I'll show you how to juggle if you'll stop ignoring me."

With that, Touya gathered some small rocks in front of him and started to pick by a stone and   
throw in the air, catching it in the other and repeated this action several times smoothly, until all   
the rocks were in the air.

As much as she tried to keep her eyes averted, Sakura couldn't help but throw glances at   
Touya juggling out of the corner of her eyes.

Noticing that, Touya grinned. He had her attention now.

Touya started to increase his speed until the little rocks were a blur in the air.

Dropping the act, Sakura watched her brother like an eagle, both emerald eyes trained   
on him in avid fascination.

Touya finished by catching all the stones in one wide sweeping motion and bowed   
elegantly.

Sakura broke into awed applause.

"'Nii-chan! Teach me how to do that!!" pleaded Sakura, tugging at the hem of his shirt   
earnestly. 

"Please?"

"Only if you water the ferns for a week."

"**_What?!_**"

- _Pause_ -

"Fine, I'll do it." said Sakura reluctantly.

Smiling smugly, Touya knelt down, his back facing Sakura.

"Hoe?" said Sakura, confused.

"If you want to walk all the way back home with that foot of yours, it's fine with me."

"No!" said Sakura, hastily scrambling onto his back.

Careful not to step on uneven ground for fear of tripping them up, Touya made his way   
home.

  
  
  
  


After a stretch of peaceful silence, Sakura suddenly spoke up.

"Oni-chan, you're actually a big softie," Sakura informed Touya, her voice filled with   
amusement.

Touya almost fell over at that sudden comment and turned a hundred shades of red.

He could not see her face, but he knew without a doubt that her bright green eyes were   
twinkling with merry mischief.

Touya seriously considered dumping her onto the ground there and then.

"Two weeks."

"Huh?" questioned Sakura, puzzled.

"Two weeks more of watering the plants if you repeat that again."

**"_What?!_ No!"** cried Sakura, "You're the meanest, cruelest and unkindest brother in the   
entire world, alright?!"

"That's more like it," said Touya, smirking.

And the two of them burst out laughing at that. 

Deep down inside, both of them knew that the other loved them dearly even though they   
never told each other.

Perhaps it was time to.

"'Nii-chan, I luv you heaps. You know that, right?"

Touya almost fell down, startled at the sudden earnest confession.

When he recovered, a silly pleased smile appeared on his face and he was glad that Sakura   
couldn't see the expression on his face then.

"Yeah, I know that."

There was an expectant pause, and Touya said after some prodding from Sakura, "I love   
you too."

Smirking, Touya added, "_Kaijuu_."

**"Oni-chan!!"** cried Sakura.

  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - End Flashback - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

  


When was it when they'd last told each other that they loved the other? Not since that   
day, she believed. Although they were both aware of it, Sakura couldn't help but wish   
that she had said it more often...

A sad distant look appeared in Sakura's deep green eyes for a split-second and it   
disappeared, only to be replaced by the guarded impassive look she always wore ever   
since that- 

Sakura swallowed a lump down her throat- 

-the look that she always wore nowadays.

It hurt. 

It hurt terribly; but survive she will. 

She would make sure of that.

"Tsukishiro?" a quiet voice asked cautiously.

She began to speak, "I worked in a circus for a period of time."

Syaoran knew there was more to that than what 'he' said, but decided not to probe further. Not in this   
way, at least. It seemed to be a sensitive spot.

"Anyway, I didn't come here to chat," Syaoran said briskly, his tone turning business-  
like.

Bringing a hand to her heart, Sakura said in an aggrieved tone, jade eyes mocking, "My   
feelings are wounded; you didn't come specially to see me?"

Syaoran decided to ignore her childish antics. "As I was saying-"

"He ignores me, will you look at that? Ah, my heart is bleeding!" she exclaimed   
dramatically, smirking internally at his obvious annoyance.

"I'll give you a nice hug and a big kiss when we get back, alright?!" he growled, as   
angrily as a stung bear, "Now _listen_ to what I have to say!"

At that point of time, Sakura was tempted to say: 'Now, what would the ladies say to   
that?' but decided against it in the end.

"Thank you," he said stonily, "If you've kept track of the news of the market in the last   
eight years, you'll find that the Shizakuu had fallen around seven years ago."

"It wasn't the least bit surprising, as the Shizakuu company had been declining at a very   
fast rate, having switched hands."

"In the past, back when the Shizakuu were very prosperous, the Li Corporation always   
traded with them, and no one else."

"However, when the original owner decided to retire to a life of riches and luxury, the   
company was sold to some inexperienced wealthy man with a nice sum of money to   
spend."

Seeing where this was going, Sakura said, "But the Lis were not willing to put such high   
stakes and began trading with others."

"Exactly," Syaoran said.

"The wealthy man eventually fell into debts and the Shizakuu company was doing so   
poorly that it was promptly put up for sale. However, people believed in bad luck and few   
were interested in buying the company over."

"That changed five years ago."

"Some brazen young man with talents to spare took a risk and bought the company. Over   
the past few years, the Shizakuu rose rapidly. People were fond of their products, or so it   
seemed."

"Now, the present owner wants to take up trade with us again." Sakura deducted. 

Nodding in approval, Syaoran confirmed it, "We're going to the Shizakuu company to   
work out a business deal."

"We're leaving now, and would you take note of the people we're dealing with and tell   
me what you think of the meeting afterwards?" asked Syaoran.

Sakura wasn't surprised, as the copy of Li's schedule had been accurate.

"Sure," she said quietly as she slipped her sheathed knife into her pocket and took   
her laptop from her table, very much aware of Syaoran's gaze trained on her every action.

She looked up, emerald eyes meeting careful brown ones steadily, showing that she was   
ready to leave.

A rare smile appeared on Syaoran's face. He had a feeling that this new assistant of his   
would be efficient in 'his' work.

Turning around, he walked out of her office as Sakura overcame her astonishment at his   
smile and followed him.

As she recalled her purpose for being here, a twinge of what felt like guilt appeared and   
was abruptly pushed aside.

This was work. Her assignment would be completed. 

In a world such as this, there was no space for remorse or emotions of any sort.

  
  
  


Sakura entered the lift and thanked Syaoran who had courteously waited for her.

A silence fell over the two of them as Sakura kept her eyes on the blinking red light   
indicating which level they were on and Syaoran simply studied her.

Sakura's eyes shifted to the metal lift door, glazed with translucent white paper in ornate  
patterns, staring defiantly at his reflection as if asking what his problem was.

It took a moment for Syaoran to notice that Sakura was watching him as well, and when   
he did, Syaoran simply gave her a charismatic smile, unaffected by her open hostility.

Slightly taken aback at his casual reaction, a stray thought slipped through her mind...   
[_No wonder many women would die for his love_...]

Realizing what she had just thought, alarm bells went off in her head and Sakura forced   
her attention onto the red blinking light that marked the twentieth level. That train of   
thought would bring nothing but trouble.

Angry with herself, Sakura glared venomously at her own reflection, the green-eyed   
woman in men's clothes glaring right back at her.

A random thought once again drifted into her mind wistfully... [Who am I really...?   
Sakura, the little girl who was hurt; Agent 0711, who kills for money; Yukito Tsukishiro,   
the imposer who will end yet another life; or perhaps I am none of them... I do not know.   
Not anymore.]

[I used to think I fit perfectly in my shoes, that I am simply all that I am, but now,   
it seems that my feet have grown too large. Even I don't know what I am going to do   
next.]

[_Who am I?_]

She looked at her reflection again. Then, she looked at Syaoran. [What does he see?]

He was slightly surprised when 'Tsukishiro' turned his eyes onto him; but as if   
answering an unspoken question, Syaoran spoke, his voice calm and steady.

Somehow, it was pleasant listening to him talk.

"You are rather quiet for someone who works in a circus."

Sakura shrugged indifferently at his observation. "I wasn't the clown."

[Perhaps not the clown...but the fool.] A bittersweet taste flowed down her throat.

A silvery ring was heard, the lift stopped and the doors opened to reveal a man in his   
forties tapping his foot impatiently.

"Finally!" he exclaimed and made his way into the lift, importance filling every strand   
of what was left of his hair.

"I'm going to the basement." he told them arrogantly.

He didn't even say a "please" or at least have a courteous tone. There was no need to be   
friendly, she understood that very well, but he could have at least practiced some   
manners. 

Even though she had just met him, Sakura was already beginning to dislike this   
supercilious man who obviously thought the world of himself.

"Sure, go ahead." Syaoran said coldly, apparently not going to be ordered around.

Sakura couldn't help but smirk at the outraged look on the man's face. It seemed that   
Syaoran didn't like him either. It was just as well.

Sakura observed the near-bald man. He seemed incapable of speech at the moment.

Suddenly, Sakura's head snapped upright, hearing approaching footsteps and faded voices, all   
senses alert.

Judging by the rhythm of the footsteps, there were probably two or three people.

Her senses were automatically sharpened as she strained to hear the voices.

".........._so cute! With_......_dreamy green ey-_......"

She wasn't sure, but the speaker sounded female.

Another new voice "_You mean_........._Tsuki-guy_.........._don't see_........._good about_......."

Sakura frowned. They were talking about her, and from what she heard, attention was   
going to be drawn to her. Not good.

She glanced at the two males beside her. The man was still glaring speechlessly as   
Syaoran stared coolly back.

The man finally regained his voice, "Syaoran, you really must show respect to your   
elders. They, unlike the impetuous young people of today, have more experience and   
expertise."

Syaoran knew very well that it was a thinly veiled insult.

"Uncle Judson, I agree that the elders have more experience. However, the world is   
constantly changing as new technology appears and advances at a very fast rate. While   
the traditional methods work, new creative ones are needed for a business to prosper. I   
give respect only to those that deserve it."

"You-you-" Judson spluttered.

Sakura watched this exchange with interest. Apparently the two were blood related and   
unless she was very mistaken, Judson resented Syaoran and thought he could run the   
company better than he could.

Looking at them, Sakura could now see the resemblance. Judson was nearly bald, but   
his face had the same handsome features as Syaoran, only in a self-important hawk-like   
way. They even shared similar glares. However, Judson's pitch-black eyes were squinted   
and he had a belly, although he had attempted to hide it as best as he could, judging by   
the clothes he wore.

Vanity, Sakura thought, disgusted, Judson thought that spectacles would ruin his looks.

A gasp was heard and Sakura turned to see two women running towards the lift from the   
end of the corridor.

"Please wait for us!"

By that time, the two men had noticed them as well.

The two women, both dressed in office clothing, ran into the lift, breathless from running.

"Thanks." one of them panted. It was the one with the second voice. Her dark red hair   
was cropped short in a stylish haircut and cat-like grey-green eyes were shadowed, her   
head bent down and hands resting on her kneecaps.

To Sakura's repulsion, Judson was eyeing her slim figure appreciatively, black eyes   
roaming over her body, coming to a halt at her rise and fall of her chest as she breathed   
heavily. He stared lustily at her breasts through the gap between her blouse and neck,   
getting a good view from her bent position as he licked his lips hungrily.

Disliking him even more by the moment, Sakura reached out a hand to help her up.

"Here," she said, not unkindly, to the woman.

The woman's almond shaped green eyes widened, surprised, and flickered upwards to   
meet Sakura's emerald ones. She then hesitated, but accepted Sakura's hand.

Sakura pulled her gently, but the woman tripped over her own feet and Sakura instinctively   
grabbed her shoulders to prevent her from crashing into her.

"Thank you," the woman murmured and lifted her head to drown in a sea of green. A   
strange expression appeared on her face and she continued gazing at Sakura, as if   
spellbound.

The woman's ruby-eyed friend watched them jealously.

A cough broke the woman from her trance. Sakura released her grip on her shoulders   
and the woman took a few steps back, a light red tinting her cheeks.

Syaoran smirked at Sakura, amused; and irritated by his knowing look, Sakura said, "Go   
and see a doctor if you're sick. Don't go around spreading your germs."

Giving Sakura a glare, Syaoran asked them considerately which level they were heading   
to.

Noticing Syaoran for the first time, the woman's friend couldn't hold back a squeal of   
delight. Tossing her long blonde hair, she smiled flirtatiously at Syaoran and introduced   
the two of them. "I'm Reiko and this bossy workaholic is my friend, Anderaine. And you   
are?"

Anderaine elbowed her for that comment, but Reiko got her revenge by whispering   
loudly, "I thought you said you didn't like 'the Tsuki-guy', Ann?"

Anderaine blushed a dark red, muttering hotly, "I never said anything of that sort - I just   
wondered why you think so highly of him. **And I don't _like_ him!**"

The sound of a throat being cleared drew their attention back to Syaoran.

"I am Syaoran Li and he is Yukito Tsukishiro, as I'm sure the both of you already know." he   
said, flashing them a charming smile.

At the sound of Sakura's false name, Anderaine glanced at him, only to avert her eyes hastily   
when Sakura met her eyes, her face flushed crimson.

The 'ding' of the bell sounded and the doors of the lift opened to reveal the reception area.

"It has been a pleasure meeting you," said Reiko, a healthy red glow in her cheeks as she   
beamed at them.

"Likewise." said Sakura politely while Syaoran simply stood at ease, hands in his pockets and   
smiling as if he hadn't a care in the world.

The both of them strode out of the lift, unaware that they looked very similar to each other,   
with their wide purposeful gait and confidence radiating from them.

When they reached the exit, a muffled pattering of high-heels hitting the carpeted lobby and a   
"Wait!" stopped them in their tracks.

Sakura turned around, puzzled. It was Anderaine.

However, Syaoran didn't seem the least bit surprised and grinned, watching the two of them.

"Here," the redhead thrust a simple but pretty notebook into Sakura's hands shyly.

Sakura looked at her questioningly.

Blushing under her gaze, Anderaine said, "It's to thank you for helping me up. Many others   
would have left me as I was. I know it's not much and the first few pages are used but I'm sure   
you find it more useful than a handkerchief, or something of that sort."

Realizing that she was blabbering, Anderaine stopped and ran away from them.

Sakura stared at her figure growing smaller and smaller with considerable bafflement, then   
looked at the notebook. A practical and useful gift. It was just like her sensible character, from   
what she knew of her so far.

For the first time in a long while, Sakura smiled. It seemed that she had just made a new friend.

Remembering her manners, Sakura called out, "Thank you!"

Anderaine slowed down, then increased her speed and Sakura knew that she had heard her.

Turning, Sakura caught Syaoran staring at her, amused.

"You know, you look a lot better when you smile. You should do that more often."

Not giving Sakura a chance to respond to that, Syaoran said "You realize that we've ignored   
Judson, the old buzzard, all this while and left him fuming there?"

Sakura decided to let the remark go.

For the second time that day, Sakura smiled yet again. "Forget about him. We've better things   
to ponder over. Come on, let's go to the Shizakuu's."

Syaoran laughed, his voice a pleasant sound in the bright afternoon as they stepped out of the   
building, the sun's warm rays embracing them.

  
*^*^*^*^*

This was it.

The lift doors, not unlike the ones they had seen minutes ago, opened and they stepped into the   
posh corridor, carpeted in red.

They were now at the Shizakuu's, heading towards the conference room.

Eyeing the richly-furnished place, Sakura said, "This company is certainly doing well for one   
that just resurfaced a few years ago."

Syaoran shrugged. "We'll meet the person who made this all possible in a few minutes' time."

Nodding briskly to Sakura, Syaoran placed his hand on the plain gold doorknob and turned it.

Both of them stepped into the spacious air-conditioned room. The room was empty of people   
aside from two men.

From the familiar air of self-importance surrounding the man sitting at the head of the table,   
Sakura could immediately tell that he was the one in charge.

He was in his late twenties, well built and attractive. His eyes of a brilliant and shocking robin-  
blue shade appraised them calculatively, taking in the two of them, studying each of them for   
equal lengths of time. His skin was so fair that he looked as white as a ghost and his hair that fell   
over his eyes in fair locks was a sandy light blonde. The perfect ice prince. He looked good and   
he was well aware of that.

Sakura was surprised that he actually gave her the same amount of attention as he did   
Syaoran, considering that Syaoran would be the one making the deal, but this man knew not to   
underestimate people. He was strangely familiar in a sense, but Sakura could not remember   
meeting anyone like him.

It was probably nothing and he was just someone she passed on the streets, but either way,   
Sakura still put him on the list of people to be careful around. She had a peculiar feeling about   
him and it never hurt to be cautious. So far, her instincts had yet to lead her wrong.

However, as good-looking as he was, it was the other who caught her attention. If there were   
perfect opposites, he was the other extreme of the man sitting next to him. Long strands of coal   
black hair fell over his eyes, before being brushed away impatiently only to fall back into the   
previous position again. His exquisite crystal eyes of a shade of blue so dark that it was near   
black, and only the rays of light falling upon his fine chiseled face showed hints of blue in those   
watchful dark eyes.

If Sakura had felt unease with the authoritative blonde-haired man, it was nothing compared to   
this. The moment she had set eyes on him, deafening gongs had sounded in her head.

This man had been studying her and **her alone** ever since she had entered the room, not even   
once bothering to glance at Syaoran.

A chill crept up her spine as his dark eyes met her emerald ones. His eyes were emotionless,   
giving nothing away. Beautiful flawless orbs, but nothing more. People said eyes were the   
windows to one's soul, and his blinds were drawn, impenetrable.

**Just like hers**.

She knew without a doubt she had seen him before and that he was dangerous. A potential   
enemy.

They said their formalities, introducing themselves to one another.

"I am Cyril, and this is my personal assistant, Eros."

And with that, they settled down and began talking business. Or at least Syaoran and Cyril did.

Eros, if that was his true name, observed her and she stared right back, giving him the cold   
indifferent look that had unnerved so many others.

Cyril was talking to Syaoran about computer chips and electrical voltage, but Sakura was   
barely listening.

_She almost had it, it was just a centimeter away from her_...

Realization hit her like lightning striking a tree, millions of volts concentrated in that one blast,   
as the very air in the room turned as chilly as winter.

He was Tai Surashi, also known as Agent 9404, but that wasn't the worst of it. 

Eros was second in ranking, right under Sakura in the underworld status as an assassin.

As if by some natural instinct, Tai Surashi smiled, amused, his dark blue eyes glimmering in the   
light.

He _knew_ that she knew of his identity.

**Damn it.**

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
===============================================================

Winged Guardian: Whoa, I didn't expect that flashback to be so long, but I quite like that   
part. Family love is a beautiful thing.

Winged Guardian: I made this extra long to make up for my long absence so you'd better be   
grateful and review!! Plus I had to pause on updating my site, not to mention that I was tearing   
my hair out because the stupid Microsoft Word wouldn't accept the product key which I swear   
is totally valid! I had to type in one of the school's computer labs while my friends partied   
outside. ;_; 

*^*^*^*^*  
To

Cherry Blossom 14:  
I updated! So there! =P I know you've been waiting since forever and you can wait again.   
*cowers* No!!! Don't hit me!!!

ScarleT RoSe5:  
You're welcome. ^-^ Sorry for the long wait, though. *apologetically*

Crimson-Snow1:  
Thanks, I hope I lived up to your expectations. ^-^"""

Cheery-blossoms:  
Ooo, great idea. I'll definitely consider it, thanks. Now, surely Syaoran would be smarter than   
that. Uh, and please put that sharp object away. I've already updated, ne? And it's a very long   
one too... *laughs nervously*  
...and address me by my glorious name as befits me!!!

Sally:  
Yep, Sakura will, given time. ^-^

dyt:  
Hmm, I updated my site, have a look if you wish and as for your entry in the guestbook, eh,   
ignore her? *suggests*

Inkblots:  
I emailed both you and UrbanCinderella but none of you replied yet. *teary-eyed* And as   
promised, here's the extra long chapter which took extra long to get up.

Usagi_Tsukino1:  
This one's more cheerful, I hope?

Lexy Ann:  
Thanks. ^-^ Not much S+S at the moment, but they need the space and time.

Cystal Jade2:  
Hurry up? Eh, alright, I'll try.

Sakura-chan:  
Short? Well, this chapter does make up for that, doesn't it? NOOoooooooooo!!! Don't ask me   
to make all the other chapters as long as this one too!!

SaKuRa LoVa:  
You know the way some things are said so often that they simply slide right off? Well, the same   
goes for the evil comment, but I'll be generous. You can choose the nice sticky honey instead.   
I'll even throw in the beehive if you wish. Evil, yes, I know.

Pika-ki:  
Definitely. I will never put up an author's note saying that I'm sorry but I don't know how to   
continue so I will be stopping the story, that I can promise.

Sword Heart:  
I'll try. ^-^""" Now, if only there are plenty of nice people who ask nicely instead of waving   
weapons around casually... *glances meanfully at some people*

Sakura Blossom161:  
Thanks for telling me that. I need to know what readers think. ^-^

NiteAngel:  
Wow, thanks, I'm glad you like it so much. Sure, I'll email you.

Moon Guardian41:  
Sorry for not replying for so long. As you can see, my computer was busted. *sweatdrops*

WezL:  
Thanks. ^-^ Glad ya like it.

Anyway,

Please review and hope you enjoyed reading my fanfic!

  
Winged Guardian  
Heart_given_Wings@yahoo.com.sg  
www.geocities.com/pastlives_clowreed  



	8. Chapter Seven : 'Luck'

Disclaimers: 

Winged Guardian: *announces* People, there is a new rule.

People: ??

Winged Guardian: I have decided to charge an entry fee - all tomatoes and weapons you

have with you at the moment.

People: ...Do you think that'll stop us from murdering you?

Winged Guardian: Eh. Well then, hurry up and read the chapter. Never mind me. *smiles 

hopefully*

Winged Guardian: I'm sure you'll want to, after such a long time. *encouragingly*

People: -_-""""

People: *sigh* WG doesn't own CCS, by the way.

Note:

"..." stands for speech

[...] stands for thoughts

... stands for author's comments

'...' stands for the chapter's title

Cold-blooded Assassin

By Winged Guardian

Chapter Seven: 'Luck'

  Millions of tiny dots hung in the thick blanket of indigo, each shining and sparkling like 

tiny diamonds of the finest cut catching and reflecting brilliant white-gold light. Philosophers

in the past had pondered what those tiny pinpricks of light were, and how they came to be,

those mysterious lights winking out of sight, only to have another few appear. Each had a 

different hypothesis, but still similar in some aspects, about the eternity of what humans

call stars.

  The darkness embraced the earth, the fading smell of car fumes and polluted air always

found in a large city mingling with the atmosphere and the cool night air. Clouds, so dark 

as to blend in with the vast black of emptiness interrupted only by the fickle and plentiful

stars, rolled across the morbid darkness slowly, pushed by the tempermental gusts of 

air. 

  The light given off by what stars not hidden by the puffs of heavy condensed water 

this night were almost bested by that of a candle flame. However, the streetlights

hovering over the road shone brighter in their electricity-charged bulbs, the pale artificial

glow illuminating the two still figures among the many blurs of fast motion as cars of many

different shapes and colors.

  "Are you sure you don't want a ride?" Syaoran asked, his voice clear against the soft 

whirring of car engines.

  Sakura shook her head silently, locks of dark brown hair freed from her inexperiencedly-

fixed turban bouncing with the movement.

  There was a long quiet pause and Sakura's green eyes, clear in the steady pale 

lamplight, studied Syaoran.

  His face was worked into a slight frown, dark eyebrows emphasizing his quiet amber 

eyes that hinted at hidden depths within. His skin was smooth with the health of youth,

his jaw strongly set. The lift of his head and the confident way he held himself suggested

a stubbornness that was strangely attractive.

  For a moment, he was simply Syaoran, a real person, not someone to add to her list of

murders or a means to get more money that may save her brother, if not her friend.

  His frown had eased away, and those gold-flecked eyes, strangely intent, were focused 

on her in a similar way.

  Sakura found herself thinking absently that he was one of the most handsome men she had 

ever seen.

  When the thought registered in her mind, truly registered, a wave of cold shock swept 

through her and reality reinstated itself abruptly.

  "Goodnight, Li," her voice broke through the crisp night air coldly, crashing through what 

had been there minutes ago.

With the short farewell, Sakura left.

  His eyes were on her, even as she turned a corner into a dark alley. She waited a while, her

back pressed against a wall and she mechanically ignored her weak knees.

  "Well, what else did I expect..." his soft voice trailed off into a sigh and there was the barely

inaudible sound of wheels against the gray cement road and he drove off into the night.

  Sakura's chest tightened for a moment and it was over. Pulling her mind into a quiet void, 

Sakura found peace and calm in the familiar emptiness.

  Despite that, a faint sense of loss brushed across her void, as soft and gentle as an 

autumn wind.

*^*^*^*^*

Tap-tap-tap-tap.

Tap. Tap-tap.

Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap.

  The harsh white lights glared at him through the glass of the windowpanes, as if demanding

that he raise his head from its position against the center of the steering wheel and that he

do something other than drumming his fingers against the leather, hard and unyielding 

against his tapping fingertips.

  Heaving a weary sigh, Syaoran finally raised his head of tousled dark chocolate hair, even 

messier than usual, and raked his fingers through his hair for the umpteenth time. 

Why did he think that-

  Slamming a fist against the side of the car door below the window to his right, Syaoran laid

his head back, sinking onto the softness that did nothing to sooth his frustration.

  He remained that way for a very long time, and might have continued to for the rest of the 

night had the music of his cell phone ringing not cut through to him.

  Laughing wearily, Syaoran opened the car door and got out of his car. Closing his car down,

Syaoran pressed the button of the device which activated the locks and a beep greeted him.

Ignoring the persistent ringing of his cell phone, Syaoran strode out of the garage towards

his home.

Never had a shower and a warm bed looked so inviting.

  They were probably what was needed to clear his head; though a voice in the back of his

head whispered that the thoughts swimming in his mind would not go away for a long time 

yet.

*^*^*^*^*

  A slight breeze flew towards her from behind her, as unexpected and sudden as a 

well-concealed attack. The sound of the soft wind caressed her ears, tendrils of stray hair

fanned out in front of her, dancing in the smooth flows of the air.

  An empty Coke can skittered down the worn and dirty path and a newspaper was blown

past her and then caught on a massive fissure ahead on the wall to her left, its pages 

fluttering weakly in what dim starlight reached the narrow alley.

  Pieces of glass littered the uneven ground where careless footing would mean a face 

crashed into sharp edges and the remains of beer bottles lined the sides. The permanent

stench of vomit, alcohol and blood drifted in the isolated path where little to no light 

touched, polluting what was already tainted.

  The skin of the nape of her neck prickled and a sixth sense warned her that she was being 

tailed. All senses alert, Sakura strained her ears for any alien sound.

  The very faint sounds of many lightly trodden footsteps of a group of people, maybe 

four or five reached her ears; and Sakura was careful to keep her face blank and prevent 

herself from faltering in her footsteps.

  Whoever they were, it would mean trouble for her in this suit. As much as her eyes wanted 

to scan the alley once more, Sakura kept her eyes forward and relaxed, playing as the 

unaware. 

  There was no need to give the place a look-over. She already knew it as well as the back

of her hand. Her mind mentally retraced the alley as she searched her memory for an open 

space, somewhere bigger than these walls.

It would be far too easy to break a few bones against them if a fight broke out here.

She did not want to add her blood to the already bloodstained graffiti-ed walls.

  There. Her brain found somewhere suitable. Some meters ahead would be a misleadingly

narrow route which would quickly widen out to a space where she would be able to fight 

comfortably when she was attacked.

The problem was reaching there before they came at her.

  Sakura doubted that they just happened to be passing by. For one, the amount of noise 

they made gave them away. They were simply too quiet.

  No, these people were after her; and by the way they kept silent, it was either a test or 

an attempt on her life.

  Whichever it was, Sakura had no intention of shedding more blood than was necessary.

Twenty steps.

  Sakura continued walking as if without a care in the world, her darkened green eyes 

cautiously shielded.

Eleven.

The sound of footsteps grew louder as their paces were increased.

Nine.

Sakura cursed under her breath. Time was slipping away like sand through her fingers.

Seven.

There was no time! She could hear their footsteps clearly now!

Six

The narrow walls of the alley pressed in around her, and the very air was suffocating.

  Sakura weighed her options: 1. Make a run for the space and possibly avoid a fight or

get shot before she reached it. 2. Continue and probably get shot anyway.

There was a split-second of hesitation and Sakura chose the first.

  Bending a knee the moment she stepped down, she unfolded her knee, throwing 

herself forward, the first bullets whizzing past her at her movement, the sound of gunshots

declaring the arrival of death and thirst for blood. 

  Sakura twisted her body to face her attackers as she rounded the corner, flinging her 

left arm out to send several keen-bladed knives hurtling towards the attackers, silver blurs

of death to sink into what flesh they could find, while her right arm gripped the cold black 

metal of a gun, her thumb methodically removing the safety, her index finger closing around 

the trigger as she brought it up to fire at the moving figures.

  There were five of them, her brain registered coldly, as the cries signaled bullets or blades 

tearing through skin and flesh.

At least three down or injured from the sound of it.

  As the last of her disappeared around the corner, she tucked herself into a ball to somersault 

through the air and as her feet slammed onto the ground and she bent her knees into a 

crouch to lessen the impact.

  Time too slammed back into place just as forcefully as Sakura found herself assaulted from 

the front, a searing pain in her left rib as a bullet ribbed through cloth and skin, embedding 

itself into flesh and bone.

  She gasped at the fire burning in her side as she clutched a hand onto the bloody cloth to 

press against the wound to slow the blood seeping into her shirt, the red bright against the 

white of her shirt.

  There were another five people facing her on this side, and who knows how many were to 

appear from round the corner.

Fury flooded her veins. This was no accident - it was a planned and thought-out ambush.

  For a moment, she stared at them in pure anger, and they at her. Then, Sakura simply 

lashed out with her gun, the cold metal striking the side of a man's head, to have him crumple 

to the ground, unconscious, and revealing the man behind him. 

An easy target.

  Sakura fired and the startled expression on his face changed to one of alarm and he threw 

himself backwards; but it was too late - the bullet hit home.

  Even as he fell backward, Sakura shot his gun hand, then his leg, before she whirled around 

to send twin bullets into the flesh between ribs and a leg, mahogany tresses whipping across 

her face.

One down. Three injured from this group.

  Stepping on a hand reaching for a gun coldly, Sakura ignored the cry of pain and grabbed a 

half-empty beer bottle to smash into faces, rendering them unconscious. 

Five down.

Alive, if bleeding and in pain.

  The sound of a foot slipping as someone from behind her tripped was more than enough 

warning for her to duck and she spun around, shooting his gun arm.

  His gun clattered against the bloodstained stone-paved path and skidded only to be stopped

at Sakura's feet.

  Grimacing in pain, Sakura reached down to pick up the gun. The fire in her side had not subsided, 

and she was losing blood by pints.

  "I'm confiscating these," Sakura announced to the sound of heavy breathing and labored 

grunts as she began to jam all the guns into her pockets.

She had been lucky. 

  Out of the original five who were tailing her, only one had managed to get himself across 

that corner.

Next time, she might not be able to count on luck, she thought grimly.

===============================================================

Winged Guardian: Happy birthday, YL. *grumpily*

People: That's no way to offer birthday greetings!

Winged Guardian: *eyes people*

People: If it weren't for her birthday, would you have updated?

Winged Guardian: *innocently* I would have. Just **_some_** time later.

People: Bah. Liar. *get out weapons*

Winged Guardian: !!! _

Winged Guardian: Now, be reasonable: I **did** update, no matter what reason... *laughs 

nervously, backing away*

Anyway,

Hallo FT. ^-^ *waves*

*sweatdrops* Okay, that was off topic. Ahem.

**Happy Birthday, YL!!! ^-^**

Now that I've updated, keep your machine guns, chainsaws, carrots and anvils please. -_- """"

Please review and hope you enjoyed reading my fanfic! ^-^

**Winged Guardian**

Heart_given_Wings@yahoo.com.sg


End file.
